Studies  for 
Personal  Workers 


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Howard  Agnew  Johnston 


Abridged  Edition 


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Personal  Work    Literature 


Individual   Work   for   Individuals.     By  H.  Clay  Trumbull, 
for  many  years  editor  of  the  Sunday  School  Ti?nes. 
From  the  pen  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable  personal  workers  of 
this  generation.      Large  i6mo,  185  pages.      Cloth,  75  cents.     Paper, 
35  cents. 

Studies    for    Personal     Workers.       By   Howard   Agnew 
Johnston. 
Studies  covering  the  principal  features  of  personal  work,  and  de- 
signed to  help  those  who  seek  to  be  used  of  God  in  individual  effort. 

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Johnston,    Howard  Agnew,    186C 
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Studies    for   personal   work<=^^ 


Memorial    of  Horace    William    Rose.      By   Harry    Wade 
Hicks. 

An  inspiring  survey  of  the  life  of  this  intense  personal  worker. 
Cloth,  65  cents. 


The  International  Committee  of  Young  Men's  Christian 

Associations,  3  West  Twenty-ninth 

Street,  New  York 


STUDIES   FOR 
PERSONAL  WORKERS 


.^^W' "•'"i'6j 


Studies  foi(  JANi6i9i5 

Personal  Workers 

HOWARD   AGNEW   JOHNSTON 


New  York 

The  International  Committee  of 

Young  Men's  Christian  Associations 

1905 


Copyright,  1903,  by 

The  International  Committee  of 

Young  Men's  Christian  Associations 

15-O-P-2149-11-04 


Published,  April,   1903 


Prefatory  Note 


These  Studies  attempt  a  general  survey  of  the  subject 
of  personal  work  on  the  part  of  the  Christian  believer. 
They  discuss  the  principal  features  of  the  subject,  and 
seek  to  answer  many  questions  which  arise  in  the  various 
experiences  which  are  most  common  in  the  attempt  to  win 
men  to  Christ.  The  leader  may  wish  to  supplement  the 
suggestions  offered,  but  he  will  find  here  a  sufficient  basis 
for  the  Study. 

The  Studies  are  arranged  with  a  view  to  a  weekly 
meeting  of  a  Class  of  Personal  Workers.  For  six  days 
of  the  week  there  is  a  page  a  day  to  be  considered.  ''Sug- 
gestions for  the  Class"  given  the  seventh  day  are  not  only 
for  the  purpose  of  giving  direction  to  the  discussions  in  the 
class,  where  the  review  of  the  six  days'  reading  will  take 
place,  but  also  to  assist  the  individual  reader  in  seizing 
upon  the  salient  points  in  each  day's  lesson.  Thus  each 
day,  by  turning  to  these  "suggestions"  at  the  end  of  the 
Study,  he  will  find  assistance  in  this  particular. 

In  the  Class  the  attempt  should  be  made  to  discuss  the 
experiences  of  the  workers,  who  will  apply  the  principles 
involved  to  their  own  efforts  to  w^in  men.  Names  need 
not  be  mentioned,  but  should  be  remembered  in  the  Prayer 
Circle.  If  the  friendship  of  the  Circle  should  justify  the 
confidence,  the  names  may  be  given,  so  each  one  can  be 
remembered  by  name  each  day  in  prayer.  Moreover, 
others  in  the  Class  may  be  able  to  assist  in  winning  these 
to  Christ. 

While  the  Studies  are  arranged  for  classes,  many  of 
which  it  is  hoped  will  be  formed,  it  is  apparent  that  in- 
dividuals may  take  them  up  at  any  time.  They  are  sent 
forth  with  the  prayerful  hope  that  they  may  prove  help- 
ful to  those  who  seek  to  be  used  of  God  in  personal  work 
for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Howard  Agnew  Johnston. 

Niw  York  Citv,  1903. 


Publishers'  Note 

The  Complete  Edition  of  this  book  consists  of  i6i 
pages,  and  contains  twenty  Studies,  as  announced  on 
pages  xi  and  xii  of  the  Table  of  Contents. 

The  short  biographies  cover  two  pages  of  reading  for 
each  day,  so  that  the  four  additional  Studies  are  equiv- 
alent to  seven  of  the  preceding  ones.  The  Complete 
Edition  is  printed  upon  finer  paper  and  is  sold  at  40 
cents  in  paper,  and  60  cents  in  cloth ;  45  cents  and 
66  cents  postpaid. 

This  Abridged  Edition  is  issued  in  answer  to  a  desire 
to  secure  a  cheaper  copy  of  these  Sixteen  Studies,  which 
strictly  cover  the  subjects  of  motive  and  methods  in 
personal  work. 

This  edition  is  sold  at  25  cents.  Orders  in  quanti- 
ties of  one  dozen  or  more  will  be  sold  at  ;^2.50  per 
dozen. 

The  International  Committee 

Young  Men's  Christian  Associations 
3  West  29th  Street,  New  York 


Table  of  Contents 


STUDY  I— Man's  Personal  Needs. 

First  Day:  A  Child  of  God — Needs  a  Father's 

Care 

Second  Day:  Lost — Needs  a  Guide   . 
Third  Day:  Sin-sick — Needs  a  Physician 
Fourth  Day:  Slave  to  Sin — Needs  a  Redeemer 
Fifth  Day:  Tempted — Needs  a  Helper  , 
Sixth  Day:  A  Servant — Needs  a  Master  . 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  . 


Page 

I 

2 

3 

4 
5 
6 

7 


STUDY  II~God's  Personal  Work  for  Men. 

First  Day:  God's  Valuation  of  a  Soul  ...  8 
Second  Day:  God's  Sympathy  for  Men  ...  9 
Third  Day:  God's  Plan  for  Men  ....  10 
Fourth  Day:  God's  Gift  of  Light  .  .  .  .11 
Fifth  Day:  God's  Gift  of  Christ  .  .  .  .12 
Sixth  Day:  God's  Gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  .  .13 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  .       .       .14 


STUDY  III— Man*s  Personal  Responsibility  for 
Men. 

First  Day:  Tlie  One  Way  to  Reach  Men  .  .15 
Second  Day:  The  Crime  of  Unconcern  .  .  .16 
Third  Day:  Winning  Men  the  Supreme  Duty  of 

Christians 17 

Fourth  Day:  Saved  to  Serve 18 

Fifth  Day:  Service  and  Power 19 

Sixth  Day:  The  Responsibility  of  Example  .  .  20 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  .       .       .21 


viii  Table  of  Contents 


STUDY  IV — Equipment  for  Personal  Work. 

Pag« 

First  Day:  Appreciation  of  Need       ....  22 

Second  Day:  Faith — ^Taking  God  into  Account    .  23 

Third  Day:  Purity — Power  with  God     ...  24 

Fourth  Day:  Prayer — The  Quiet  Hour  ...  25 

Fifth  Day:  The  Bible — God*s  Ensamples      .      .  26 

Sixth  Day:  Studying  Men — Cultivating  Tact      .  27 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  ...  28 

STUDY  V— Hesitation  to  Attempt  Work. 

First  Day:  The  Experience  of  Moses        ...  29 

Second  Day:  The  Experience  of  David    ...  30 
Third  Day:  The  Experience  of  Isaiah      .       .       .31 

Fourth  Day:  The  Experience  of  Jonah   ...  32 

Fifth  Day:  The  Experience  of  Peter        ...  33 

Sixth  Day:  The  Experience  of  Paul  ....  34 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  ...  35 

STUDY  VI— The  True  Spirit  of  the  Christian 
Worker. 

First  Day:  Unselfishness— Sympathy  ....  36 

Second  Day:  Humility — Courtesy      ....  37 

Third  Day:  Earnestness — Enthusiasm       ...  38 
Fourth  Day:  Trust — ^The  Allegiance  of  a  True 

Life 39 

Fifth  Day:  Patience — Forbearance     ....  40 

Sixth  Day:  Perseverance — "Love  never  faileth"    .  41 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  ...  42 

STUDY  VII— Christ  Winning  Individuals. 

First  Day:  Christ  Winning  Andrew  ....  43 

Second  Day:  Christ  Winning  Nicodemus        .       .  44 

Third  Day  :  Christ  Winning  the  Samaritan  Woman  45 

Fourth  Day:  Christ  Winning  Peter        ...  46 

Fifth  Day:  Christ  Winning  Zacchseus     ...  47 

Sixth  Day:  Christ  Winning  Paul      ....  48 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  ...  49 


Table   of   Contents  ix 


STUDY  VIII— The  Disciples  Winning  Individu- 
als. 

Page 

First  Day:  Andrew  Winning  Peter  ....  50 
Second  Day:  Philip  Winning  the  Ethiopian  .  .51 
Third  Day:  Peter  Winning  Cornelius  ...  52 
Fourth  Day:  Aquila  Winning  Apollos  ...  53 
Fifth  Day:  Paul  Winning  Lydia  and  the  Jailer  .  54 
Sixth  Day:  Paul  Winning  Onesimus  .  .  .55 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  ...     56 

STUDY  IX— Ways  of  Personal  Work. 

First  Day:  Striving  to  Win  Individuals  ...  57 

Second  Day:  Teaching  in  the  Sunday-school  .       .  58 

Third  Day:  Witnessing  in  Religious  Meetings      .  59 

Fourth  Day:  Writing  Letters 60 

Fifth  Day:  The  Work  of  Prayer  Circles        .       .61 

Sixth  Day:  Helping  Others  to  Work      ...  62 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  ...  63 

STUDY  X— The  People  We  Meet. 

First  Day:  The  Home  Relatives 64 

Second  Day:  Companions  in  Boarding-houses        .     65 

Third  Day:  Companions  in  Business 

Fourth  Day:  Attendants  at  Church  . 

Fifth  Day:  Vacation  Acquaintances  . 

Sixth  Day:  Social  Companions    . 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class 


66 
67 
68 

69 

70 


STUDY  XI— The  Individual  to  be  AVon. 


First  Day:  His  Temperament 71 

Second  Day:  His  Circumstances 72 

Third  Day:  His  Companions 73 

Fourth  Day:  His  Weaknesses 74 

Fifth  Day:  His  Strong  Points 75 

Sixth  Day:  His  Degree  of  Faith        ....  76 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  ...  77 


Table   of  Contents 


STUDY  XII— Principles  of  Procedure, 

Page 

First  Day:  Prepare  for  the  Particular  Individual  .  78 

Second  Day:  Begin  with  a  Confession      ...  79 

Third  Day:  Emphasize  the  Positive  Side        .       .  80 
Fourth  Day:  Agree  as  Far  as  Possible    .       ,       .81 

Fifth  Day:  Make  No  Compromise  with  Truth    .  82 
Sixth    Day:   Use   God's   Word   to   Meet   Special 

Points      ....       o       .....  83 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  .       .       »  84 

STUDY  XIII— Using  the  Bible  with  Men. 

First  Day:  Not  Always  the  First  Book  to  Use      .  85 
Second  Day:  Relative  Authority  of  the  Old  and 

New  Testaments         ...       ...       o  86 

Third  Day:  The  Place  of  Miracles  ...       c  87 

Fourth  Day:  Questions  About  Discrepancies        .  88 

Fifth  Day:  The  Sufficiency  of  the  Bible  o       «       ,  89 

Sixth  Day:  The  Final  Authority  of  Christ     „       .  90 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  ...  91 

STUDY  XIV-— About  Questionable  Amusements. 

First  Day:  The  Individual  Conscience     .       ,       .  92 

Second  Day:  Allegiance  to  Christ  First   ...  93 

Third  Day:  The  Help  Confession  Brings       .       .  94 

Fourth  Day:  The  Weak  Brother's  Conscience     ,  95 

Fifth  Day:  Christian  Example    .....  96 

Sixth  Day:  Not  How  Little,  but  How  Much?    .  97 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  ...  98 


STUDY  XV— Intellectual  Questions. 

First  Day:  The  Honest  Doubter  ....  99 
Second  Day:  The  Open  Unbeliever  ....  100 
Third  Day:  The  Man  Who  Argues  .  .  .  .101 
Fourth  Day:  The  Shallow  Sceptic  ....  102 
Fifth  Day:  The  Partially  Persuaded  .  .  .  103 
Sixth  Day:  Earnestness  Versus  Argument  ,  .  104 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  .      .      .105 


Table    of    Contents  xi 


STUDY   XVI— Secret  Believers. 

Page 

First  Day:   Believing,  but  Not  Confessing  .        .106 

Second  Day  :  Those  Who  Think  Public  Confes- 
sion Unnecessary 107 

Third  Day  :  Those  Who  Wait  for  Some  Wonder- 
ful Experience 108 

Fourth  Day  :  Those  Whose  Associates  Influence 

Them  Away 109 

Fifth  Day  :  Those  Who  Fear  Their  Inconsisten- 
cies May  Hinder no 

Sixth  Day  :  Those  Who  Only  Need  the  Persuad- 
ing Word Ill 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class       .       .112 

PUBLISHERS'    NOTE. 

The  Complete  Edition  also  contains  the  following 
Additional  Studies : 

STUDY   XVII— Helping  Weak  Christians. 

Page 

First  Day:  The  Importance  of  this  Work  .  •   113 

Second  Day  :  Enlightening  the  Ignorant.  .  .114 

Third  Day:  Strengthening  the  Weak    .  .  .115 

Fourth  Day:   Reclaiming  the  Backsliders  .  .116 

Fifth  Day:  Dealing  with  the  Inconsistent  .  •   117 

Sixth   Day:  "  Seventy  Times  Seven "    .  .  .118 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class  .  .119 

STUDY   XVIII— Notable  Personal  Workers.  (I.) 

First  Day:  Ambrose  of  Milan 120 

Second  Day:   Boniface  of  Mayence        .       .        .122 

Third  Day:   Francis  of  Assisi 124 

Fourth   Day:  John  Wyclif 126 

Fifth  Day:  Martin  Luther 128 

Sixth  Day:  John  Knox 130 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class       .       .  132 


Xll 


Table    of    Contents 


STUDY  XIX— Notable  Personal  Workers.    (II.) 

Page 

First  Day:  John  Wesley 134 

Second  Day:   David  Brainerd 136 

Third  Day  :  Adoniram  Judson  .  .  .  .138 
Fourth  Day:  Charles  G.  Finney  ....  140 
Fifth  Day:  James  Brainerd  Taylor  .  .  .  142 
Sixth  Day  :  Thomas  Chalmers  .  .  .  .144 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class        .       .   146 

STUDY  XX— Notable  Personal  Workers.  (III.) 

First  Day:  Thomas  Arnold 148 

Second  Day:  The  Seventh  Earl  of  Shaftesbury  .   150 

Third  Day:  Charles  Haddon  Spurgeon         .  .152 

Fourth  Day:  D wight  L.  Moody    .       .       .  .154 

Fifth  Day:   Henry  Drummond        .        .        .  .156 

Sixth  Day:  Robert  R.  McBurney  .       .        .  .158 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class       .  .160 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers     i 

STUDY  I— Man's  Personal  Needs. 
First  Day:  A  Child  of  God — Needs  a  Father s  Care, 

A  strategic  point  of  view  from  which  to  approach  a 
study  of  the  work  of  saving  men  is  found  in  Luke  xv. 
Two  facts  stand  out :  ( i )  That  man  as  a  child  of  God 
has  forfeited  his  sonship  and  needs  help;  (2)  that  God 
is  still  his  Father  and  ready  to  forgive  and  save  him. 

The  most  revolutionary  truth  Christ  taught  to  men 
was  that  regarding  the  Fatherhood  of  God.  In  Christ's 
time  no  man  was  allowed  to  take  the  name  of  Jehovah 
on  his  lips.  Children  were  taught  another  name  to  use 
instead.  When  Christ  began  to  talk  familiarly  and  lov- 
ingly about  God  as  His  Father  the  astonishment  was 
great.  When  He  taught  His  disciples  to  pray  "Our 
Father"  they  little  dreamed  how  potent  these  two  words 
would  be  in  the  uplifting  of  the  race.  (Matt.  vi.  9  sq.) 
They  first  thought  of  God  as  Christ's  Father.  That  was 
a  momentous  day  when  Peter  declared,  ''Thou  art  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God."  (Matt.  xvi.  16.) 
They  could  realize  the  Fatherhood  of  God  for  Christ, 
because  they  saw  the  Sonship  of  God  in  Christ.  And 
then  He  led  them  to  see  how  they  might  come  back  into 
the  Sonship.  Luke  xv.  was  a  marvellous  picture  to  them. 
Could  such  a  Father's  love  be  theirs?  How  well  they 
knew  what  the  wayward  son  thought  of  his  husks !  How 
their  desires  ran  along  the  line  of  his  purpose  to  "arise 
and  go"  to  his  father!  As  Christ  gave  them  a  vision  of 
the  love  of  God  our  Father  in  heaven,  a  new  hope,  a 
new  joy,  a  new  faith  bathed  their  needy  souls  with  a 
strange  new  longing  which  was  almost  a  responsive  love 
for  God,  because  He  loved  them  thus. 

Prayer. — I  am  Thy  wayward  child,  O  God  my  Father ! 
Quicken  in  me  a  sense  of  my  need  of  Thee.  Give  me  a 
vision  of  Thy  forgiving  love,  and  constrain  me  to  seek 
Thy  presence  evermore.    Amen. 


2     Studies  for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  I—Man's  Personal  Needs. 
Second  Day:  Lost — Needs  a  Guide, 

"What  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole 
world,  and  lose  his  own  soul?"  (Mark  viii.  36,  37.)  It 
is  the  searching  question  of  questions  for  every  man.  Vari- 
ous ideas  centre  about  the  expression,  ^'a  lost  soul."  Some 
of  these  are  arbitrary.  But  there  is  nothing  arbitrary 
about  realities,  because  they  are  in  the  nature  of  things. 
When  a  child  is  lost,  it  just  means  one  thing:  he  does 
not  know  his  way.  He  needs  just  one  thing:  a  guide. 
Just  so  is  it  with  every  man  who  does  not  know  God. 
But  the  way  to  know  God  is  to  know  Jesus  Christ  whom 
He  has  sent.  Much  as  the  disciples  of  Christ  longed  to 
know  the  Father,  they  made  slow  progress  because  they 
could  not  grasp  the  truth  that  God  was  manifest  in  Christ. 
(John  xiv.  i-ii.)  The  pathos  of  human  history  is  in 
this  dulness  of  man's  heart.  Paul  explains  it  in  Romans 
i.  21 :  "Because  that,  when  they  knew  God,  they  glorified 
Him  not  as  God,  neither  were  thankful,  but  became  vain 
in  their  imaginations,  and  their  foolish  heart  was  dark- 
ened." 

This  need  of  the  lost  world  is  written  in  blood  and 
tears  on  every  page  of  history.  It  is  the  echo  of  man's 
despair  because  he  is  without  hope  and  without  God  in 
the  world.  The  cry  of  the  heart  is  with  Job,  ''Oh,  that 
I  knew  where  I  might  find  him!"  (xxiii.  3.)  Christ 
answers:  "I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth  and  the  Life,  no 
man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me."  (John  xiv.  6.) 
Every  lost  man  needs  Christ.  "Neither  is  there  salvation 
in  any  other,  for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven 
given  among  men  whereby  we  must  be  saved."  (Acts 
iv.  12.) 

Prayer, — 

*'  An  infant  crying  in  the  night : 
An  infant  crying  for  the  light." 

Thus  I  cry  to  Thee,  O  God  of  light  and  life.  Shine  m 
my  heart  to  give  me  the  knowledge  of  Thy  glory  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers     3 

STUDY  I— Man's  Personal  Needs. 
Third  Day:  Sin-sick — Needs  a  Physician, 

Salvation  is  health.  Sin  is  disease.  The  words  heal 
and  whole  and  holy  are  all  the  same  word.  Christ  came 
to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost,  and  part  of  His  method  was 
to  heal  them  of  disease.  "They  that  be  whole  need  not 
a  physician,"  He  said.  (Matt.  ix.  12.)  But  men  needed  a 
Saviour  because  they  were  not  whole,  and  need  Him  now 
for  the  same  reason.  The  principle  of  sin  must  be  studied 
in  the  light  of  this  fundamental  fact.  Disease  is  due  to 
any  transgression  of,  or  lack  of  conformity  unto  the  law 
of  health.  To  neglect  the  law  is  as  fatal  as  to  violate  it 
wilfully.  Sin  results  from  any  transgression  of,  or  lack 
of  conformity  unto  the  law  of  righteousness,  which  is  the 
law  of  holiness,  or  wholeness,  or  health.  We  think  of 
disease  as  applying  to  the  physical  man,  and  sin  as  apply- 
ing to  the  spiritual  man;  but  the  whole  man  is  involved 
in  wholeness. 

Note  well  here  the  difference  between  sin  and  guilt. 
Sin  is  the  general  condition.  Guilt  marks  the  crime  of 
violating  wilfully  some  particular  law.  Many  who  are 
not  directly  guilty  of  sin  must  suffer  because  of  the  sin 
of  others,  as  In  the  case  of  the  wife  and  children  of  a 
drunkard.  Just  so,  every  human  being  Is  born  Into  sin, 
the  sin  of  the  race,  deepening  and  deadening  through  the 
centuries.  Man's  first  problem  is  not  that  of  guilt,  but 
it  is  that  of  sin.  Many  fail  to  realize  their  need  to  be 
saved  from  sin  because  they  are  not  overwhelmed  with  a 
sense  of  guilt.  Their  sin  Is  no  less  fatal.  The  failure  to 
realize  this  need  explains  the  stagnation  and  death  which 
mark  millions  of  the  hum.an  race  to-day.  Again  we  note 
the  pathos  of  human  history  here.  The  fatality  of  neg- 
lect IS  everywhere  apparent  to  thoughtful  men.  (Ps. 
xxxli.  1-8.) 

Prayer. — Divine  Saviour,  give  me  a  vivid  sense  of  my 
sin,  and  awaken  in  me  some  appreciation  of  my  helpless- 
ness and  hopelessness  without  Thy  saving  help. 


4     Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY  I— Man's  Personal  Needs. 
Fourth  Day:  Slave  to  Sin — Needs  a  Redeemer. 

What  havoc  sin  has  wrought!  To  be  lost  and  sin-sick 
is  not  all.  Sin  is  a  hard  and  relentless  master.  The  most 
pitiful  object  in  this  world  is  a  man  who  has  become  a 
slave  to  sin,  betraying  his  helplessness,  as  his  struggle 
grows  weaker  and  his  will  becomes  flabby,  while  the 
strength  of  his  character  disappears.  He  may  be  consid- 
ered a  social  lion;  he  may  have  all  that  gold  can  give; 
he  may  even  shine  with  intellectual  brilliancy;  but  he 
knows  too  well  that  he  is  a  slave  to  sin.  And  he  knows 
in  his  inmost  heart  that  he  is  utterly  helpless  to  save  him- 
self, to  realize  spiritual  health,  purity  of  heart,  righteous- 
ness of  character  in  the  sight  of  God.  (Rom.  i.  20-32; 
John  iii.  17.) 

If  such  a  man  should  have  all  else  this  world  can  give, 
the  more  pitiful  is  his  case.  He  is  a  slave  to  sin,  and  he 
can  never  be  free  unless  he  shall  find  help  outside  of  him- 
self.   The  poet  has  pictured  him 


«*  As  some  ill-guided  bark,  well  built  and  taB, 
Which  angry  tides  cast  out  on  desert  shore. 
And  then,  retiring,  left  it  there  to  rot 
And  moulder  in  the  winds  and  rains  of  heaven. 
So  he,  cut  from  the  sympathies  of  life. 
And  cast  ashore  from  pleasure's  boisterous  surge, 
A  wandering,  weary,  worn  and  wretched  thing, 
A  scorched  and  desolate  and  blasted  soul, 
A  gloomy  wilderness  of  dying  thought. 
Repined  and  groaned  and  withered  from  the  earth." 


"The  wages  of  sin  is  death."  When  disease  only 
reaches  the  body,  then  the  soul  that  is  healed  is  set  free; 
but  when  disease  claims  both  body  and  soul  there  is  hope- 
less slavery. 

Prayer. — Blessed  Redeemer,  Thou  hast  paid  my  ran- 
som.   My  only  hope  is  in  Thee. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers     j 

STUDY  I— Man's  Personal  Needs. 
Fifth  Day:  Tempted — Needs  a  Helper. 

Even  when  the  lost  has  found  a  guide,  and  the  diseased 
has  accepted  a  physician,  and  the  slave  has  rejoiced  in  a 
redeemer,  still  the  need  of  man  continues.  He  has  still 
three  persistent  foes — the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil. 
Even  when  a  man  has  given  the  allegiance  of  his  life  to 
Christ,  and  begins  to  live  "by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of 
God,"  he  cannot  break  with  the  old  life  quickly  and  com- 
pletely. The  "old  man"  does  not  give  way  thus  easily  to 
the  "new  man."  The  regenerating  power  of  God  has 
implanted  a  new  life  principle  in  the  soul,  but  the  whole 
life  is  transformed  slow^ly  into  the  likeness  of  Christ. 
The  nature  of  the  Kingdom  is  described  by  Christ  in 
Mark  iv.  26-28.  There  are  thorns  to  clear  away,  and 
the  enemy  soweth  tares;  hence  the  harv^est  is  delayed. 
The  man  still  needs  a  helper.  He  is  never  sufficient  unto 
himself. 

Christ  emphasizes  this  truth  helpfully  in  John  xv.  i-ii. 
Fruit  is  only  possible  while  the  branch  is  in  the  vine. 
Health  only  comes  to  the  man  who  obeys  his  physician  in 
matters  of  food  and  medicine  and  exercise.  Temptation 
in  its  largest  significance  is  testing.  Resistant  forces  are 
always  to  be  reckoned  with.  If  men  did  not  need  to 
struggle  in  order  to  obtain  bread  the  race  w^ould  quickly 
degenerate,  and  character  would  be  lost  in  a  lazy  animal. 
Struggle  is  the  blessed  condition  of  strength.  Tempta- 
tion is  the  test  of  fidelity.  Dirt  must  be  washed  away  if 
w^e  would  be  clean.  Error  must  be  dispelled  if  truth  shall 
win.  Sin  must  be  conquered  if  righteousness  shall  crown 
the  life. 

Prayer. — O  Christ,  Thou  hast  won  this  victory.  I 
need  Thy  conquering  help  in  order  that  I,  too,  may  con- 
quer. Keep  me  from  the  fatality  of  neglect,  that  forgets 
my  need  of  Thee,  and  bind  me  close  to  Thy  side,  that 
sin  may  no  longer  have  dominion  over  me. 


6     Studies  for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY  I— Man's  Personal  Needs. 
Sixth  Day:  A  Servant — Needs  a  Master, 

Every  man  Is  a  servant.  Every  life  Is  a  service.  The 
Christian,  therefore,  does  not  cease  to  be  a  servant.  He 
only  changes  masters.  Life  Is  no  longer  negative,  simply 
a  struggle  to  overcome  sin.  It  Is  henceforth  positive,  to 
be  a  growth  In  righteousness,  to  be  a  service  for  God  and 
men.  It  Is  to  achieve  mastery  over  self  and  ministry  for 
others.  But  here  also  the  Christian  needs  a  master.  Paul 
states  the  case  clearly  In  Phlllpplans  III.  12.  This  verb 
''apprehend"  means  to  lay  hold  upon,  and  Paul  says  he 
is  trying  to  lay  hold  upon  that  for  which  Christ  laid  hold 
upon  him.  Now  the  noun  of  this  verb  is  the  word 
apprentice,  and  what  Paul  has  really  said  is  that  the 
Christian  is  an  apprentice,  with  Christ  for  his  Master. 
Read  Phlllpplans  Hi.  7-14- 

Mark  the  force  of  this  striking  statement.  A  young 
man  contemplating  an  apprenticeship  does  not  hesitate  to 
begin  because  of  conscious  weakness,  or  ignorance,  or  the 
fear  of  making  mistakes.  The  liability  to  all  this  only 
emphasizes  his  need  to  begin  at  once  his  discipline.  More- 
over, he  is  encouraged  to  do  this  because  his  hope  Is  In 
his  master,  and  only  In  himself  as  he  shall  give  himself 
entirely  to  his  master's  guidance.  He  trusts  the  master 
to  correct  every  fault,  and  thus  he  trusts  to  become  mas- 
terful one  glad  day.  In  this  spirit  he  achieves  his  best 
and  his  most.     (Phil.  iv.  13.)    ^    ^ 

Here  Is  the  picture  of  a  Christian  life.  It  is  a  great 
work  which  the  follower  of  Christ  must  attempt.  Only 
as  he  realizes  his  constant  need  of  Christ  as  his  Master, 
through  all  of  his  apprenticeship,  will  It  be  possible  for 
him  to  become  strong  and  masterful  and  helpful. 

Prayer. — Forbid  that  mine  should  be  a  fruitless  life, 
O  Lord !  My  resources  are  In  Thee.  Be  Thou  my  Mas- 
ter in  all  things.    May  I  not  shrink  from  Thy  discipline. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers     7 

STUDY  I— Man's  Personal  Needs. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class. 

This  Study  demands  an  earnest  examination  of  self. 
The  only  way  for  me  to  realize  every  man's  needs  is  to 
realize  ray  own.  An  intelligent  diagnosis  of  disease  is 
necessary  before  there  can  be  an  intelligent  prescription. 
Every  personal  worker  must  be  master  of  the  truth  re- 
garding the  needs  of  men,  (John  xvi.  8.)  To  this  end 
let  an  analysis  be  made  of  each  day's  reading. 

1.  What  is  Christ's  purpose  In  teaching  the  parable  of 
Luke  XV.  ?  What  was  the  general  idea  of  God  in  Christ's 
time?  How  did  His  followers  come  to  the  appreciation 
of  the  Fatherhood  of  God?  What  did  this  truth  mean 
to  them  ?    What  does  it  mean  to  you  ? 

2.  How  would  you  describe  a  lost  soul?  What  is 
Paul's  philosophy  of  the  lost  condition  of  men?  How 
would  you  show  a  man  the  reality  of  his  need  of  Christ 
because  he  is  lost? 

3.  What  words  In  this  reading  Involve  the  very  nature 
of  things?  How  would  you  distinguish  between  sin  and 
guilt?  Do  you  realize  your  helplessness  because  of  your 
sin? 

4.  What  would  you  say  constitutes  slavery  to  sin? 
Why  is  the  case  of  the  man  with  many  advantages  the 
more  pitiful  if  he  be  a  slave  to  sin?  How  far  does  sin 
work  death? 

5.  How  much  Is  involved  in  the  largest  application  of 
the  term  temptation?  Why  is  a  Christian  not  free  from 
temptation?  What  blessing  comes  from  struggle  with 
resistant  forces? 

6.  Explain  how  the  philosophy  of  the  Christian  life  is 
set  forth  in  the  experience  of  an  apprentice.  For  each 
of  the  six  points  of  view  here  considered  sum  up  man's 
need  of  Christ.  Has  this  Study  deepened  your  own  sense 
of  this  need?    If  not,  why  not? 

Prayer. — Out  of  my  needs  I  cry  to  Thee,  O  Christ! 
Supply  all  my  needs  every  day.  May  I  learn  how  to  help 
men  to  see  their  need  of  Thee, 


8     Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  II— God's  Personal  Work  for  Men. 
First  Day:  God's  Valuation  of  a  SouL 

The  value  of  a  lost  soul  makes  the  shipwreck  so  ter- 
rible. Heaven's  measure  of  this  value  explains  the  joy 
which  Christ  thrice  describes  in  Luke  xv.  The  utter  lack 
of  appreciation  of  this  value  explains  the  grudging  mur- 
mur of  the  elder  brother  when  the  lost  one  is  found  and 
saved.  Alas!  that  so  few  Christians,  though  they  them- 
selves have  tasted  of  Christ's  salvation,  have  entered  into 
God's  valuation  of  a  living  soul!  Were  this  done  the 
Gospel  would  be  given  to  the  world  in  a  generation. 
Christ  startles  men  with  the  question  which  lifts  the  soul 
above  all  things  earthly  to  the  very  level  of  fellowship 
with  God.  (Mark  viii.  36,  37.)  The  whole  world  of 
material  riches  sinks  down  below  the  spiritual  worth  of 
one  immortal  soul. 

We  touch  the  heart  of  all  spiritual  life  and  values  by 
realizing  that  worship  is  worth-ship.  The  key-note  of 
heaven's  song  is  ''worthy"  is  the  Lamb.  There  is  His 
intrinsic  worth,  His  beauty  of  holiness,  compelling  adora- 
tion. But  how  much  it  is  worth  to  us  because  He  counted 
it  worth  while  to  live  and  die  for  our  salvation  only 
heaven  can  tell.  He  counted  the  cost  and  came  to  pay 
the  price  because  He  realized  that  it  would  pay.  Nay, 
we  must  believe  that  God  counted  the  cost  of  allowing 
the  sin  and  sorrow  and  suffering  of  the  ages  of  human 
history  because  He  saw  that  out  of  the  discipline  the 
product  would  be  a  redeemed  life  for  the  immortal  souls 
that  had  "washed  their  robes  and  made  them  white  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb,"  (Rev.  vii.  13,  14.)  When  we 
consider  the  millions  of  lost,  barren,  empty,  blighted 
lives  it  is  wellnigh  incredible  that  so  many  followers  of 
Jesus  Christ  spend  their  days  in  complacent  indifference 
to  God's  valuation  of  a  human  life. 

Prayer. — Inspire  my  life  anew,  eternal  Father  of  my 
spirit,  with  the  sense  of  the  dignity  with  which  Thou  hast 
crowned  my  being. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers     9 

STUDY  II— God's  Personal  Work  for  Men. 
Second  Day:  God's  Sympathy  for  Men, 

The  most  Important  truth  for  us  to  know  is  that  God 
is  concerned  about  men,  God  cares  for  us.  Christ's 
revelation  of  the  Father's  love  breathes  this  teaching  con- 
tinually. (Matt,  vi,  25-33.)  Once  appreciate  intelli- 
gently the  value  of  a  human  life  and  this  divine  concern 
is  necessarily  recognized.  The  only  philosophy  of  life 
which  will  ever  satisfy  a  thinking  man  must  teach  that 
God  enters  into  all  human  suffering,  just  as  an  earthly 
father  enters  into  the  discipline  of  his  children.  The 
great  key-word  of  the  Gospel  record  of  the  life  of  Christ 
is  the  word  Compassion.  It  is  sympathy  at  its  deepest. 
It  means  "suffering  with."  Three  times  we  have  the 
word  in  the  Gospels.  First,  in  Mark  vlli.  2,  where 
Christ  said  He  had  "compassion  on  the  multitude,"  for 
they  were  as  sheep  having  no  shepherd.  The  second  in- 
stance Is  In  Luke  x.  33,  where  He  explains  the  conduct 
of  the  Good  Samaritan  by  the  use  of  this  word.  Then 
in  Luke  xv.  20,  where  the  father's  love  for  his  penitent 
son  Is  revealed  in  this  same  spirit  of  compassion. 

Ponder  these  three  utterances  in  their  context.  Study 
the  spirit  of  Christ  that  throbs  In  them,  and  realize  that 
this  is  the  picture  of  the  love  of  God  which  is  given  to 
men.  This  is  the  "dying  love"  of  Jesus  Christ.  Dr. 
George  Adam  Smith  saj^s  truly:  "The  divine  essence  of 
the  Bible  consists  In  this — the  marvellous  story,  how  it 
tells  us  that  this  moral  warfare  of  ours  Is  shared  by  God 
Himself,  that  the  divine  nature  descended  Into  that  w^ar- 
fare,  that  it  bears  the  agony  of  strife,  nay,  the  shame 
and  curse  of  It ! — all  for  man's  salvation.  .  .  .  That  Is 
why  the  Bible  will  always  be  the  indispensable  force  to 
man's  salvation." 

Prayer. — Let  not  sorrow  and  suffering  blind  my  heart 
to  Thy  love,  O  my  Father!  But  may  that  love  be  so 
real  to  me  that  In  ever>^  trial  I  shall  have  the  light  of 
hope  shining  clear,  bringing  comfort  and  peace. 


lo  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  II— God*s  Personal  Work  for  Men. 
Third  Day:  God's  Plan  for  Men. 

It  has  always  been  the  same  from  the  beginning.  In 
Genesis  i.  26  we  read  the  purpose  of  God  in  the  creation 
of  man  in  the  divine  image.  And  when  that  image  be- 
came blurred  by  sin  the  plan  persisted  through  all  the 
years,  as  we  find  in  the  words  of  Paul  in  Romans  viii.  29, 
where  he  tells  us  God's  destiny  for  man  is  that  he  might 
*'be  conformed  to  the  image  of  His  Son."  To  realize 
this  plan  all  the  work  of  redemption  was  inaugurated 
and  carried  through  to  the  cross  of  Calvary,  and  con- 
tinues now  by  the  exalted  Christ  in  the  great  intercessory 
work  of  heaven  in  behalf  of  men.  Paul  sees  God's  plan 
working  out  its  fruitage,  as  he  exclaims  in  2  Corinthians 
iii.  18:  "We  all  with  unveiled  face,  reflecting  as  a  mirror 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  transformed  into  the  same 
image,  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  from  the  Lord  the 
Spirit." 

To  realize  this  plan  man  would  always  have  needed 
God,  even  if  sin  had  not  entered.  But  with  sin's  entrance 
the  work  of  God  becomes  the  providing  of  a  salvation  for 
men.  This  is  necessary  to  meet  the  need,  and  the  plan 
of  God  for  men  is  revealed  in  its  motive  and  spirit  by 
Christ's  words  in  John  iii.  16:  "God  so  loved  the  world 
that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  Him  should  not  perish  but  have  everlasting 
life."  Divine  sympathy  must  at  once  reveal  a  way  to 
help  the  suffering  children  of  His  love.  Christ  voiced 
the  constraint  upon  the  divine  love  in  His  utterance  to 
the  two  companions  on  the  way  to  Emmaus:  ''Ought  not 
Christ  to  have  suffered  these  things,  and  to  enter  into 
His  glory?"  (Luke  xxiv.  26.)  But  His  glory  is  His 
accomplished  redemption,  in  the  realization  of  God's 
plan  for  men. 

Prayer. — "None  of  the  ransomed  ever  knew  how  dark 
was  the  night  which  the  Lord  passed  through  ere  He 
found  the  sheep  that  was  lost!"  O  divine  Shepherd,  help 
me  to  see  how  Thy  coming  reveals  God's  love,  to  the  end 
that  God's  purpose  may  be  realized  in  me. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  h 

STUDY  II— God's  Personal  Work  for  Men. 
Fourth  Day:  God's  Gift  of  Light. 

The  light  was  shining  at  the  beginning.  It  was  shin- 
ing in  the  law.  It  was  the  love  in  the  law.  Every  law 
is  a  good  law,  and  brings  only  blessings  when  it  is  obeyed. 
Speaking  broadly,  every  law  is  a  law  of  health — that  is, 
a  law  of  wholeness.  When  one  sins  against  the  light  of 
this  law  the  inevitable  result  is  failure  of  wholeness,  or 
holiness — that  is,  some  form  of  the  disease  of  sin.  But 
the  light  shines  on.  Its  lustre  is  even  increased  when  it 
is  shining  in  a  broken  law,  because  its  teaching  is  even 
plainer  than  before.  But  light  cannot  avail  except  there 
be  eyes  to  see,  and  when  the  heart  is  darkened  (Rom.  i. 
21 )  then  the  condition  described  by  Christ  in  Matthew 
vi.  23  follows.  This  again  is  the  pathos  of  human  his- 
tory.    But  the  light  never  ceased  shining. 

God  was  waiting  for  a  man  who  would  open  his  eyes 
to  the  light.  A  few  men  here  and  there  saw  its  gleaming, 
and  turned  to  walk  in  its  pathway.  Abraham  loved  light, 
and  God  gave  him  a  vision.  Through  him  the  people 
came  who  only  saw  the  value  of  the  spiritual  life  and 
strove  toward  God's  plan  for  men.  Then  Moses  saw  a 
burning  bush  aflame  with  God.  (Ex.  iii.  1-6.)  Therefore 
to  him,  and  to  every  man  who  would  take  it,  God  gave  all 
the  light  He  could.  And  yet  men  could  not  see  the  full 
shining  of  God's  light.  The  lack  was  in  men.  They 
loved  darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  were 
evil.  (John  iii.  19.)  Man's  need  of  more  light  con- 
tinued unsatisfied,  net  because  the  light  was  not  shining, 
but  because  men  had  lost  the  vision,  and  no  one  could 
give  them  the  truth  in  its  fulness  and  glory.  Still  the 
light  was  always  shining. 

Prayer. — O  Thou  who  art  light,  and  in  Whom  there 
is  no  darkness  at  all,  open  my  blind  eyes  that  I  may  see 
the  shining  of  Thy  love,  and  the  glory  of  Thy  life,  and 
the  beauty  of  Thy  holiness,  and  the  joy  of  Thy  salvation. 


12  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY  II— God's  Personal  Work  for  Men. 
Fifth  Day:  God*s  Gift  of  Christ, 

Since  no  man  could  catch  the  vision,  the  Son  of  God 
came,  saying,  Lo!  I  come  to  do  Thy  will,  O  God. 
(Heb.  X.  7.)  John  describes  His  coming  in  the  Gospel, 
i.  1-14.  Mark  that  closing  expression:  ''We  beheld  His 
glory — full  of  grace  and  truth."  We  have  that  word 
"full"  now  for  the  first  time.  Paul  tells  us,  in  2  Corin- 
thians iv.  6,  how  "God  hath  shined  in  our  hearts  to 
give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ."  It  was  necessary  for  the  word  to 
become  flesh.  Every  word  must  become  flesh  before  it 
can  reveal  its  power  to  men.  Just  in  so  far  as  the  word 
becomes  flesh  in  your  life,  you  know  its  reality  and  bless- 
ing. Christ's  incarnation  was  necessary  to  the  revelation 
of  the  truth,  as  well  as  for  the  work  of  redemption. 

Thus  the  plan  of  God's  love  (John  ili.  16)  worked  on 
in  the  process  of  redemption.  Christ  is  the  Guide  to  the 
lost.  Christ  is  the  Physician  to  the  sin-sick.  Christ  is 
the  Redeemer  from  the  slavery  of  sin.  Christ  is  the 
Helper  of  the  tempted.  Christ  is  the  Master  of  the 
Christian  apprentice.  And  in  all  His  work  He  reveals 
the  heavenly  Father's  love  to  His  neglectful  children. 
*'God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  Him- 
self." (2  Cor.  V.  19.)  It  is  God's  personal  work  for 
men.  "The  wages  of  sin  is  death,  but  the  gift  of  God  is 
eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  (Rom.  vi. 
23.)  Put  over  against  the  picture  of  human  need  pre- 
sented In  the  previous  Study  this  fact  of  God's  provision 
for  all  those  needs,  even  to  the  gift  of  eternal  life,  and 
who  can  refrain  from  the  exulting,  jubilant  exclamation 
of  Paul,  "Thanks  be  unto  God  for  His  unspeakable  gift!" 
(2  Cor.  ix.  15.)  For,  in  giving  us  Christ,  God  hath 
given  us  all  things  that  we  need  richly  to  enjoy. 

Prayer. — Help  me  to  receive  Thee,  O  Christ!  That  I 
may  have  power  to  become  a  son  of  God.  Enable  me  to 
lay  hold  upon  eternal  life,  whereunto  I  am  also  called, 
as  I  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith  in  Thee,  my  Saviour  and 
my  Lord. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers 


13 


STUDY  II— God*s  Personal  Work  for  Men. 
Sixth  Day:  God's  Gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  Word  must  be  made  flesh  and  dwell  among  us, 
but  the  flesh  is  temporal  and  local.  God's  plan  is  for  all 
men  and  for  all  time.  Therefore  a  local  Christ  would 
not  suffice.  He  accomplished  the  work  which  His  Father 
gave  Him  to  do,  and  then  He  returned  "up  where  He 
was  before."  (John  vi.  62.)  But  having  promised  His 
disciples  that  the  Comforter  would  come,  even  the  Spirit 
of  truth,  to  abide  with  His  people  forever  (John  xiv.  16), 
He  commanded  them  to  tarry  in  Jerusalem  until  this 
promise  should  be  fulfilled.  They  waited  and  prayed  and 
wondered.  Finally  the  day  of  manifestation  came.  The 
marvellous  power  of  God  rested  upon  them. 

Note  wtU  the  meaning  of  this  experience  to  the  dis- 
ciples. Peter,  in  his  sermon,  reviews  the  history  of  Christ 
up  to  the  moment  of  His  being  glorified,  and  then  adds: 
"Therefore  being  by  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted,  and 
having  received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  He  hath  shed  forth  this  which  ye  now  see  and 
hear."  (Acts  ii.  33.)  He,  the  living  Christ,  had  done 
it.  He  still  lived  to  them.  He  gave  them  power  now 
to  go  forth  as  His  witnesses.  In  this  faith  they  went. 
How  realistic  is  His  presence  with  Peter  as  he  exclaims 
to  the  paralytic:  iEneas,  Jesus  Christ  maketh  thee 
whole.  (Acts  ix.  34.)  This  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit, 
to  glorify  Christ,  to  take  the  things  of  Christ  and  make 
them  plain.  (John  xvi.  13,  14.)  Thus  by  the  truth  He 
sanctifies  believers,  and  the  fruit  of  His  indwelling  and 
inworking  is  "love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness, 
goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance."  (Gal.  v.  22,  23.) 
That  is  to  say,  the  redeemed  man  takes  on  likeness  to 
Christ,  and  the  transforming  into  His  image  progresses, 
as  men  can  say  with  Paul:  "I  live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ 
liveth  in  me."     (Gal.  ii.  20.) 

^  Prayer. — O  God,  my  Father,  I  ask  Thee  now  for  this 
gift.  Prepare  me  to  receive  Him,  and  to  be  led  by  Him 
until  Thou  canst  use  me  fully. 


14  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  II—God's  Personal  Work  for  Men. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class, 

Many  queries  will  arise  in  inquiring  minds  which  will 
be  answered  by  this  Study.  Personal  workers  should  be 
well  furnished  with  the  facts  which  set  forth  God's  part 
in  the  work  of  man's  salvation. 

1.  What  teaching  of  Christ  can  you  mention  to  show 
how  much  God  values  an  immortal  soul?  How  does 
worship  involve  values?  What  appreciation  of  the  value 
of  human  lives  do  Christians  ordinarily  show?  Has  this 
reading  increased  your  concern  for  men? 

2.  What  facts  compel  the  conviction  that  God  is  full 
of  compassion  for  lost  and  needy  men?  What  three  in- 
stances are  mentioned  where  Christ  illumined  that  word? 
Why  do  not  Christians  have  more  compassion  for  men? 

3.  What  is  God's  plan  for  men?  Did  God  have  a 
sense  of  duty  in  planning  for  man's  salvation?  Has  your 
ambition  fixed  your  destiny  in  the  fellowship  of  God 
through  Christ? 

4.  How  did  God's  light  appear  to  men  from  the  be- 
ginning? Why  did  not  men  receive  it?  Who  saw  it 
among  the  patriarchs?  Who  saw  it  among  the  heathen? 
(Answer  from  general  knowledge.) 

5.  Why  was  Christ's  incarnation  necessary?  How  was 
the  light  fully  revealed  in  Him?  Have  you  personally 
attempted  to  realize  how  much  Christ  is  worth  to  you? 

6.  Why  was  the  Holy  Spirit  needed?  What  did  the 
outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  signify  to  the  disciples? 
What  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit?  Repeat  Paul's 
statement  regarding  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit. 

Prayer. — 

Saviour,  Thy  dying  love  Thou  gavest  me. 

Nor  should  I  aught  with-hold,  dear  Lord  from  Thee  : 

Give  me  a  faithful  heart,  likeness  to  Thee, 

That  each  departing  day  henceforth  may  see 

Some  work  of  love  begun,  some  deed  of  kindness  done. 

Some  wanderer  sought  and  won,  something  for  Thee. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  15 

STUDY  Ill—Man's   Personal  Responsibility  for 
Men. 

First  Day:  The  One  Way  to  Reach  Men, 

Since  the  light  can  only  accomplish  its  work  when  men 
see,  and  since  the  Word  must  become  flesh  in  order  to 
become  "the  light  of  life,"  therefore  those  who  have  the 
light  must  give  it  to  those  who  have  it  not  by  living  it 
among  their  fellows  until  it  reveals  the  love  of  Christ. 
God's  revelation  of  life  must  be  a  character.  Hence 
Christ.  But  that  revelation  must  always  continue  to  be 
a  life.  Hence  Christians.  Christ  said,  *'I  am  the  Light 
of  the  world"  (John  ix.  5),  and  then  said  to  His  fol- 
lowers, ''Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world"  (Matt.  v.  14- 
16),  "Ye  are  My  witnesses."  Hence  the  force  of  the 
apostle's  description  of  Christians  as  "living"  epistles, 
known  and  read  of  all  men.  (2  Cor.  iii.  2.)  The  con- 
sistent life  authenticates  the  faithful  testimony.  Men 
must  know  in  order  to  believe. 

This  is  the  point  of  Paul's  argument  in  Romans  x. 
8-15,  for  the  necessity  which  rests  upon  men  to  give  the 
Gospel  of  salvation  to  those  who  are  in  the  darkness. 
There  is  no  other  way  to  reach  men.  No  other  method 
could  have  the  advantages  of  this  one,  both  in  its  effect 
upon  the  witnesses  and  upon  those  receiving  the  message. 
Every  man  who  receives  Christ  becomes  a  trustee  for 
other  men  to  give  Christ  to  them.  He  receives  Christ 
not  for  himself  alone,  but  to  share  with  every  other  man. 
In  the  business  world  a  trustee  has  a  keen  sense  of  honor 
regarding  the  faithful  discharge  of  his  trust.  When  will 
the  Christian  have  the  same  high  sense  of  honor  regard- 
ing his  trust?  Until  we  have  it  the  world  w^ill  still  strug- 
gle but  slowly  out  of  the  darkness  into  the  light,  out  of 
the  slavery  of  sin  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children 
of  God. 

Prayer, — Help  me  to  realize  that  I  am  debtor  to  every 
man,  because  Thou  hast  tasted  death  for  him,  that  he 
might  receive  Thy  gift  of  eternal  life.  Help  me  to  be 
honest  in  the  effort  to  discharge  my  trust. 


i6  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY  III — Man's   Personal  Responsibility  for 
Men. 

Second  Day:  The  Crime  of  Unconcern. 

At  the  beginning  of  human  relations  we  find  this  in- 
difference about  the  lives  of  our  fellow-men.  (Gen.  iv. 
3-14.)  But  Cain  was  his  brother's  keeper,  and  could  not 
evade  his  responsibility  in  the  sight  of  God.  This  un- 
concern is  everywhere.  There  is  an  annual  gain  of  only 
seven  per  cent,  to  the  Church  of  Christ  in  America. 
Think  of  it!  Only  seven  for  every  hundred  in  a  year! 
What  must  that  mean  of  many  who  do  nothing  to  win 
a  single  soul  through  months  and  years  of  a  nominal 
Christian  life! 

Some  years  ago  a  well-known  Christian  was  stopped 
on  the  street  by  a  friend  with  the  question:  "Mr.  R., 
how  long  have  we  known  each  other?"  ''About  fifteen 
years,"  was  the  reply.  "You  claim  to  be  a  Christian." 
"Yes."  "Well,  do  you  believe  that  I  must  accept  Christ 
if  I  am  saved?"  "I  do."  "And  do  you  care  whether  or 
not  I  am  saved?"  "Why,  certainly!"  "Pardon  me,  I 
do  not  wish  to  hurt  you ;  but  I  do  not  believe  it.  Through 
these  years  we  have  discussed  all  sorts  of  topics,  yet  you 
have  never  uttered  one  word  to  indicate  to  me  that  you 
cared  about  my  soul.  If  you  had  cared  you  surely  would 
have  spoken."     (Ps.  cxlii.  4.) 

How  many  Christians  could  thus  be  charged  with  a 
like  failure!  Think  of  Christian  work  in  China  for  a 
moment.  Suppose  a  new  convert  to  Christianity  in  China 
never  spoke  to  a  friend  about  Christ,  never  did  any  posi- 
tive witnessing  for  Christ,  would  we  not  begin  to  ques- 
tion the  quality  of  his  Christianity?  But  how  can  we 
fail  to  demand  as  much  of  ourselves  in  Christian  America? 
If  out  of  the  darkness  of  China  we  expect  a  man  to  show 
his  colors  promptly  and  loyally,  surely  this  test  condemns 
us  in  our  failure  and  leaves  us  without  excuse. 

Prayer. — O  Christ,  whose  compassion  for  men  led 
Thee  to  give  Thy  life  for  me,  help  me  to  deny  myself, 
and  so  to  learn  Thy  constraining  love  that  I  may  live 
unto  Thee  and  for  the  sake  of  men. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  17 


STUDY  III— Man's   Personal  Responsibility  for 
Men. 

Third  Day:  Winning  Men  the  Supreme  Duty  of  Chris- 
tians. 

Ever>^  Christian  should  make  Ezekiel  xxxiii.  1-9  a  per- 
sonal message  from  God.  In  the  light  of  our  previt)us 
Study  it  becomes  apparent  that  when  the  interests  of  the 
soul  are  ignored  life  is  a  failure.  Let  us  think  of  this 
from  another  point  of  view.  We  call  anything  a  success 
according  as  it  accomplishes  that  which  its  form  of  con- 
struction shows  its  maker  intended  it  to  be  and  do.  For 
instance,  it  is  evident  from  its  form  of  construction  that 
an  umbrella  is  intended  to  keep  off  the  rain.  It  may  serve 
various  purposes,  but  if  it  will  not  keep  of?  the  rain  it  is 
a  failure  as  an  umbrella.  Just  so  the  human  soul  shows 
that  God  intended  man  to  be  something  more  than  a 
tailor's  model,  something  more  than  a  splendid  athlete, 
something  more  than  a  social  success,  something  more 
than  a  millionaire,  something  more  than  a  philosopher  or 
poet.  If  one  were  to  realize  all  this,  but  only  this,  not 
reaching  up  to  the  spiritual  life,  to  the  making  of  char- 
acter, to  the  fellowship  with  God ;  then  across  the  record 
of  his  life  must  be  written  the  verdict — He  is  a  failure  as 
an  immortal  soul! 

Therefore  the  supreme  duty  for  me  is,  first,  to  realize 
my  own  salvation  through  Christ,  and  then  to  see  that 
nothing,  nothing  can  for  a  moment  be  compared  to  the 
life  which  seeks  to  win  immortal  souls  to  be  His  followers. 
This  is  not  only  the  supreme  duty  for  Christians,  but  it 
is  the  supreme  joy.  Christ's  joy  is  the  joy  of  knowing 
that  He  has  done  something  to  save  a  priceless  soul. 
Every  Christian  may  taste  that  joy  here  and  now.  I 
must  give  an  account  of  my  trusteeship  to  God,  according 
as  I  give  Christ  to  men.  No  other  service  which  I  can 
render  in  life  can  compare  with  this  in  importance.  My 
plain  duty  is  here. 

Prayer. — Help  me  to  put  first  things  first.  Burden 
me  with  a  sense  of  responsibility  for  men,  and  help  me 
to  be  faithful  to  my  trust. 


i8  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY  III — Man's   Personal  Responsibility  for 
Men. 

Fourth  Day:  Saved  to  Serve. 

We  have  noted  heretofore  that  no  man  can  escape 
service.  Every  man  is  counting  for  good  or  ill  because 
of  the  kind  of  service  to  which  he  is  giving  his  life. 
(Rom.  vi.  1 6.)  No  man  can  live  unto  himself.  He 
may  die  unto  himself;  but  to  live  means  to  grow,  and 
growth  means  the  development  of  our  powers.  But  de- 
velopment must  be  along  the  lines  of  natural  relations, 
and  since  man  is  a  social  being  his  relations  involve  his 
fellow-men.  Human  life  involves  the  play  of  the  affec- 
tions, the  place  for  sympathy,  the  opportunity  to  help,  the 
duty  to  serve.  Therefore  no  man  truly  bears  his  own 
burden  except  as  he  helps  others  in  the  bearing  of  their 
burdens.     (Gal.  vi.  2-5.) 

Now  the  man  who  takes  Christ  for  his  Saviour  must 
also  take  Christ  for  his  Master,  to  make  Christ's  pur- 
pose his  purpose.  But  Christ's  purpose  is  to  serve.  It 
was  the  law  of  His  life  on  earth,  and  continues  to  be  in 
heaven.  He  "came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  min- 
ister and  to  give  His  life  a  ransom  for  many."  (Mark 
X.  45.)  Every  m.an  redeemed  by  Christ  from  the  slavery 
of  sin  belongs  in  very  truth  to  Christ.  His  one  aim 
should  be  to  do  all  in  his  power  toward  paying  the  great 
debt  he  owes  to  Christ.  But  this  means  to  serve  Christ 
in  Christ's  way,  and  He  has  made  that  way  plain.  We 
serve  Him  by  denying  self,  as  He  did,  and  by  seeking  to 
save  others,  as  He  did.  But  with  the  true  Christian  this 
is  not  done  simply  from  a  sense  of  obligation.  He  has 
caught  a  vision  of  Christ's  wonderful  love,  which  explains 
Calvary,  and  he  has  learned  to  love  the  Christ-life  above 
every  other,  until  he  cries  with  Paul:  ''The  love  of  Christ 
constraineth  us!"  (2  Cor.  v.  14-21.)  Hence  for  him 
salvation  does  not  simply  mean  service,  for  life  meant 
some  kind  of  service  before.  Salvation  now  means  the 
loving  service  of  Christ. 

Prayer. — Divine  Master,  teach  me  the  way  to  empty 
self.  May  I  not  shrink  from  the  cross  of  self-denial,  but 
be  quick  to  help  every  man  in  need. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  19 


STUDY  III — Man's   Personal  Responsibility  for 
Men. 

Fifth  Day:  Service  and  Power. 

Some  one  has  said  this  generation  has  not  yet  seen  the 
man  who  has  so  completely  given  his  life  to  God  that 
God  could  trust  him  with  His  power.  What  Christian 
can  ponder  that  statement  without  an  instant  prayer  in 
his  heart?  For  just  to  the  extent  that  a  man  truly  gives 
his  life  to  God,  God  will  give  His  power  to  that  man. 
The  law  of  this  gift  of  power  is  written  everywhere  that 
power  exists.  The  spirit  that  is  ready  to  serve,  ready  to 
obey,  is  the  condition.  (Rom.  xii.  3-6.)  When  this  is 
proved  to  be  in  the  heart,  the  power  is  given.  Marconi's 
power  in  the  realm  of  electricity  is  explained  by  this  law. 
The  moment  he  ceases  to  obey  and  serve  the  law,  that 
moment  the  power  ceases.  Not  only  so,  but  it  is  as  Mar- 
coni serves  the  law  with  all  his  might,  making  the  most 
of  every  fact  at  hand,  growing  better  acquainted  with  its 
power,  that,  lo!  he  catches  a  vision  of  a  new  application 
of  the  law,  and  the  result  is  wireless  telegraphy  for  the 
world!  This  is  not  strange.  It  is  inevitable.  (Job 
xvii.  9.) 

The  man  of  power  every^vhere  is  serving  thus  in  his 
sphere  of  success,  and  his  vision  rises  above  and  beyond 
the  level  on  which  he  started.  It  could  not  be  otherwise 
in  the  experience  of  the  Christian  who  seeks  to  possess 
the  power  of  God.  It  explains  Moses  and  Paul  and 
Luther  and  Judson  and  Moody.  What  an  ambition  it 
w^ould  be  for  every  earnest  Christian  to  have,  so  to  serve 
God's  law  that  God  will  surely  give  him  His  power! 
What  the  Church  of  God  needs  is  a  baptism  of  power; 
but  in  order  to  have  it  there  must  first  be  a  baptism  of 
the  spirit  of  readiness  to  serve,  to  obey  the  law  of  God. 
God  is  ready,  waiting  for  us  to  be  willing  to  meet  the 
condition.     (Acts  i.  4-8.) 

Prayer, — 

Consecrate  me  now  to  Thy  service.  Lord, 
By  the  power  of  grace  divine. 


20  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY  III — Man's   Personal  Responsibility  for 
Men. 

Sixth  Day:  The  Responsibility  of  Example, 

Phillips  Brooks  was  right  when  he  said  the  great  argu- 
ment for  Christianity  is  not  a  syllogism,  but  a  man.  The 
most  helpful  way  for  a  Christian  to  strengthen  his  neigh- 
bor is  by  living  consistently  with  the  true  ideal  of  a 
Christian  life.  (Rom.  xii.  i,  2.)  Without  striving  for 
this,  his  w^ord  cannot  help.  With  it,  whatever  he  may 
do  doubles  in  value.  The  atheist  who  visited  Fenelon. 
said:  ''If  I  stay  here  much  longer  I  will  be  a  Christian 
in  spite  of  myself."  Henry  M.  Stanley  testified  that  the 
beauty  of  holiness  in  the  life  of  David  Livingstone  won 
him  to  Christ. 

The  serious  fact  must  now  be  considered  that  every 
life  is  an  argument.  Every  life  is  an  example,  and  that 
example  is  exerting  the  influence  which  is  counting  for 
or  against  the  cause  of  Christ.  Many  a  man's  life- 
example  is  arguing,  "I  can  be  a  Christian  simply  by  hav- 
ing my  name  on  the  Church  book."  Many  another  is 
arguing,  "I  am  doing  enough  for  the  cause  of  Christ 
when  I  give  it  financial  support."  Still  others  are  argu- 
ing, "We  cannot  reasonably  be  expected  to  suffer  any 
inconvenience  personally  or  socially  in  order  to  do  Chris- 
tian work."  And  men  read  and  know  these  epistles,  these 
living  arguments.     (2  Cor.  iii.  2-6.) 

Henry  Drummond  was  right  when  he  said:  "What 
the  cause  of  Christ  needs  is  not  so  much  more  of  us,  as 
a  better  brand  of  us,"  Christ  is  being  wounded  more 
sadly  in  the  house  of  His  friends  than  by  the  weapons  of 
His  enemies.  Here  again  is  the  pathos  of  Christian  his- 
tory! Oh,  for  new  standards  in  the  Church  of  Christ! 
For  a  burning  sense  of  shame  at  our  shallow,  selfish 
religion !  For  an  abiding  purpose  to  live  Christ  so  truly 
that  all  who  know  us  will  believe  in  our  genuineness,  and 
will  give  honor  to  our  Lord  because  of  it!  (Matt.  vii. 
16-20.) 

Prayer.- — Help  us  to  do  it,  O  Christ!  How  ready  are 
we  to  compromise  I  Help  us  to  walk  as  children  of  the 
light! 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  21 


STUDY  III— Man's   Personal  Responsibility  for 
Men. 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class. 

The  serious  fact  about  thousands  of  Christians  is  that 
they  refuse  to  accept  responsibility  for  their  fellow-men. 
They  will  not  deny  the  theory  of  the  Christian  religion, 
but  they  quietly  ignore  the  demand  which  Christian  re- 
sponsibility involves.  This  truth  must  have  its  place  in 
Christian  lives  before  the  Church  will  ever  begin  to  do 
its  God-given  work  for  a  dying  race  of  immortal  men. 

1.  What  is  the  argument  for  the  necessity  which  rests 
upon  Christians  to  help  men  to  know  Christ?  Can  you 
think  of  any  other  way  better  than  this?  What  is  in- 
volved in  the  fact  that  Christ  is  given  to  u^  in  trust? 

2.  What  proof  can  you  mention  of  the  general  uncon- 
cern on  the  part  of  Christians  about  the  salvation  of  men? 
What  do  we  expect  of  a  new  convert  in  China?  Are  you 
concerned  about  any  particular  individual? 

3.  What  in  your  judgment  makes  life  a  success?  Why? 
Wherein  does  winning  men  to  Christ  constitute  our  su- 
preme duty  ?  Are  you  striving  to  win  one  soul  to  Christ  ? 
If  not,  why  not? 

4.  In  what  sense  is  every  life  a  service?  Why  can- 
not man  live  unto  himself?  What  must  be  the  law  of 
the  Christian  life?  What  element  does  his  salvation  put 
into  the  service  of  a  Christian? 

5.  Repeat  the  first  sentence  in  this  day's  reading  from 
memory.  Do  you  truly  desire  the  power  of  God  ?  What 
would  it  mean  for  you,  if  God  should  give  His  power  to 
you?  Would  you  be  ready  for  anything  that  would 
glorify  God?    If  not,  ought  you  to  pray  for  this  power? 

6.  Are  you  deeply  concerned  about  your  example?  Is 
there  one  life  which  you  know  you  are  influencing  for 
evil?  If  so,  change  your  life  at  that  point  instantly. 
What  is  the  argument  of  your  life,  as  people  read  you 
and  judge  of  Christianity  by  the  w^ay  you  live  it? 

Prayer. — My  God,  to  w^hom  I  must  give  an  account, 
help  me  to  accept  my  responsibility  with  an  earnest  heart 
and  a  quickened  conscience. 


22  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY  IV— -Equipment  for  Personal  Work. 
First  Day:  Appreciation  of  Need. 

A  general  desire  to  be  a  Christian  worker  is  not  suf- 
ficient preparation  for  the  work.  (Acts  xviii.  24-28.) 
To  succeed  in  any  task  a  man  must  meet  conditions  of 
success,  and  those  conditions  must  be  clearly  seen  and 
appreciated.  It  is  perfectly  evident  to  many  Christians 
that  they  are  not  fitted  to  attempt  the  task  of  winning 
individuals  to  Christ.  Many  such  at  once  excuse  them- 
selves from  all  responsibility  in  the  matter.  But,  if  they 
be  responsible  also  for  their  lack  of  preparation,  their 
condemnation  is  only  the  greater.  The  first  and  greatest 
need  of  all  is  the  desire  and  purpose  to  serve  Christ  and 
men  in  this  way.  This  may  be  very  greatly  increased, 
and  must  be  cultivated  by  every  earnest  man. 

Meditation  upon  such  truth  as  the  foregoing  Studies 
contain  will  help  to  deepen  this  desire  and  strengthen 
this  purpose.  But  going  with  this  must  be  a  definite 
training  for  the  work  if  it  is  to  be  done  most  effectively. 
Christ's  training  of  the  Twelve  was  mainly  to  this  end. 
The  Church  of  Christ  needs  to  cultivate  this  work. 
Every  pastor  should  have  a  group  of  workers  in  training 
under  his  own  or  some  other's  leadership.  Every  Chris- 
tian organization  should  have  those  among  its  numbers 
who  are  striving  to  be  well  equipped  for  this  work.  (2 
Cor.  Hi.  5.) 

Now  this  study  should  be  specific  and  definite.  Cer- 
tain things  are  necessary  to  successful  Christian  work. 
To  possess  them  Involves  discipline.  Failure  in  this  work 
IS  due  more  to  a  lack  in  the  person  striving  to  win  an- 
other than  in  the  person  to  be  won.  The  athlete  sets 
himself  to  a  system  of  training,  as  a  matter  of  course. 
He  would  never  expect  to  win  without  it.  The  soldier 
without  discipline  has  no  reason  to  hope  for  victory. 
How  evident  then  Is  the  need  of  the  Christian ! 

Prayer. — Help  me  to  be  thoroughly  honest  with  my- 
self, O  Lord !  Teach  me  to  realize  what  I  must  be  and 
do  if  I  would  serve  Thee  and  my  fellow-men  at  my  best. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  23 

STUDY   IV—Equipment  for  Personal  Work. 
Second  Day:  Faith — Taking  God  into  Account, 

The  tap-root  of  all  sin  Is  unbelief.  Therefore  all 
failure  must  largely  be  explained  by  a  lack  of  faith  in 
God.  This  does  not  mean  simply  the  failure  to  look  to 
God  for  help  In  personal  work.  The  trouble  Is  deeper. 
If  we  thoroughly  believed  God's  word  about  the  deadly 
character  of  sin  there  would  be  a  very  different  spirit  on 
the  part  of  Christians  everywhere.  We  may  not  deny 
the  statement  of  God's  word,  but  we  really  do  not  be- 
lieve that  our  friends  who  are  Indifferent  about  their 
spiritual  life  are  hopelessly  separated  from  God.  In  fact 
we  do  not  take  God  seriously  Into  the  account.  We  care 
more  for  the  opinion  of  men  than  for  the  plain  teaching 
of  God's  word.     (Rom.  xl.  30;  note  swiftly  Heb.  xl.) 

Now  Intelligent  faith  is  measured  by  the  degree  to 
which  the  truth  believed  is  actually  appreciated  as  a 
reality.  The  faith  needed  by  every  Christian  worker  is 
the  profound  and  constraining  conviction  that  his  work 
is  a  compelling  necessity  because  men  are  going  the  way 
of  eternal  death.  This  is  the  truth  which  must  be 
preached  and  taught  until  men  have  a  new  conviction  as 
to  the  sinfulness  of  sin. 

Then  the  faith  of  the  worker  must  be  centred  upon 
Jesus  Christ.  God's  redeeming  grace,  revealed  in  Christ's 
life  and  death,  must  be  thoroughly  believed  to  be  the 
sufficient  and  efficient  provision  of  salvation  for  penitent 
and  believing  men.  Without  this  faith  all  work  must 
come  short  of  the  real  thing.  The  history  of  Christianity 
is  perfectly  clear  at  this  point.  The  faith  In  the  redeem- 
ing work  of  the  divine  Christ  is  the  only  faith  which  has 
proved  to  lift  up  and  save  men. 

The  third  exercise  of  faith  is  in  the  readiness  of  God 
to  help  every  man  who  w^ill  strive  to  obey  the  command 
of  Christ  to  seek  to  win  men  to  Him.  God  may  be  de- 
pended upon  in  this  work. 

Prayer. — Lord,  I  believe.  Help  Thou  mine  unbelief. 
Help  me  to  "practise  the  presence  of  God"  always. 


24  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  IV—Equipment  for  Personal  Work. 
Third  Day:  Purity — Power  with  God. 

Every  student  of  the  Bible  finds  one  command  of 
God  written  large  on  all  its  pages,  namely,  Be  clean. 
All  God's  dealing  with  Israel,  by  law,  by  ceremonial,  by 
providential  discipline,  teaches  this.  We  must  be  clean. 
If  we  be  not  clean,  we  must  immediately  get  clean,  and 
stay  clean.  Of  course  the  outward  cleansings  only  pointed 
to  the  clean  heart.  The  outer  life  may  be  a  whited  sepul- 
chre, but  God  is  not  mocked.  He  knows  my  heart.  If 
I  compromise  with  known  sin,  God  cannot  use  me.  Paul 
calls  the  striving  of  the  Christian  toward  this  end  "ago- 
nizing." (Col.  i.  29.)  We  must  conquer  here  or  we  will 
be  conquered.  At  this  point  the  slavery  to  sin  becomes 
so  painfully  conscious.  Read  i  Corinthians  iii.  16,  17. 
Purity  involves  motive,  thought,  word,  and  deed,  the 
whole  life  and  every  day  of  life. 

It  is  a  fact  of  supreme  importance  that  purity  is  deter- 
mined by  the  law  of  contact.  If  two  lives  come  into 
contact,  one  pure,  the  other  impure,  the  result  will  de- 
pend on  the  relative  strength  of  each.  If  the  pure  be  the 
stronger,  the  contact  will  make  the  impure  purer.  If 
the  impure  be  stronger,  the  contact  will  leave  the  pure 
less  pure.  Furthermore,  the  active  or  passive  spirit  has 
so  much  to  do  as  a  determining  factor  here.  Put  a 
drop  of  ink  into  a  glass  of  water,  and  the  whole  is  con- 
taminated; but  pour  a  barrel  of  ink  into  a  gushing  foun- 
tain of  water,  and  very  quickly  it  is  all  swept  away,  while 
the  pure  and  purifying  stream  preserves  its  purity.  Let 
this  law  be  applied  to  Christ,  as  over  against  the  contact 
with  sin,  and  the  purifying  power  of  Christianity  is  at 
once  explained,  (i  John  iii.  2,  3.)  Let  us  realize  ear- 
nestly that  God  can  never  be  expected  to  bless  a  life  that 
is  willing  to  compromise  with  known  sin.  (Matt.  v.  8.) 
Living  communion  with  Christ  solves  this  problem  for 
every  man. 

Prayer. — Create  within  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God !  and 
renew  a  right  spirit  within  me.  Help  me  to  keep  Thy 
temple  clean  for  Thine  indwelling. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  25 

STUDY  IV— Equipment  for   Personal  Work. 
Fourth  Day:  Prayer — The  Quiet  Hour. 

The  morning  watch,  or  the  quiet  hour  at  some  time  in 
the  day,  is  positively  essential  to  the  living  Christian.  It 
was  necessary  for  our  Saviour.  (Mark  i.  35.)  No  less 
so  is  it  necessary  for  us.  Dr.  Dale  once  said  to  a  com- 
pany of  students:  "Young  men,  you  will  not  find  time 
for  many  things.  You  must  make  time  for  them."  The 
Christian  is  like  a  diver  w^ho  goes  down  into  a  world 
where  the  conditions  press  about  him  to  crush  out  his 
life.  He  is  in  that  world  for  work,  yet  not  of  it  in  fel- 
lowship. His  life  comes  from  above,  and  he  must  have 
the  connection  unbroken  and  unceasing.  The  life  of  the 
real  Christian  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.  Prayer  is  the 
constant  emphasis  of  the  truth  that  man  cannot  have 
spiritual  life  apart  from  God.  Christ  Himself  must  have 
His  morning  watch,  His  quiet  hour  with  the  Father. 
But  how  many  Christians  allow  the  crowded  hours  to 
be  their  excuse  for  not  having  a  set  time  for  prayer  and 
communion  with  God!  Luther  rose  an  hour  earlier  for 
prayer  on  the  days  which  promised  to  tax  his  strength  in 
an  especial  way.     Read  Psalm  i. 

But  the  making  a  time  for  prayer,  though  so  important, 
IS  not  all.  The  quality  of  the  prayer  is  vital  to  Its  reality. 
The  foregoing  elements  of  faith  and  purity  tell  mightily 
here.  But  the  most  potent  secret  of  prevailing  prayer  is 
concern  for  others,  which  drives  us  to  God  that  we  may 
be  blessed  In  order  to  be  a  blessing  to  them.  The  man 
whose  importunate  prayer  was  for  a  friend  (Luke  xi. 
5)  had  a  power  that  he  could  not  have  had  if  his  petition 
was  simply  for  himself.  Christ's  glory  shines  at  this 
point,  where  He  Is  ever  seeking  blessings  for  men.  He 
sanctifies  Himself  for  their  sakes.  When  the  prayer  of 
genuine  intercession  has  more  place  in  our  lives  we  will 
have  more  power  with  God. 

Prayer. — O  Thou  who  didst  spend  the  whole  night 
in  prayer  with  the  Father,  whose  life  must  needs  be 
nourished  by  constant  spiritual  communion  with  the 
Father,  teach  me  how  to  pra3% 


26  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  IV — Equipment  for  Personal  Work. 
Fifth  Day:  The  Bible — God's  Ensamples. 

The  Bible  is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit.  Men  must  be 
trained  in  the  use  of  the  sword,  or  it  will  not  only  be 
ineffective,  but  often  dangerous.  Hence  we  must  know 
our  Bibles.  Most  of  its  history  is  biography.  If  we 
would  find  inspiration  for  the  way  of  life  we  must  study 
the  record  of  those  lives  which  men  have  been  inspired  to 
make  for  our  benefit.  Som.e  one  in  the  Bible  had  a  life- 
problem  to  solve  somewhat  like  mine,  (i  Cor.  x.  ii.) 
I  will  find  my  way  becoming  plain  by  discovering  how 
God  helped  and  guided  others.  The  Christians  who  love 
their  Bibles  are  the  salt  of  the  earth.  No  Christian  ever 
became  effective  in  personal  work  who  did  not  love  and 
study  his  Bible.  (Acts  xviii.  28.)  The  purpose  at  this 
point  is  to  quicken  the  sense  of  the  need  of  a  knowledge 
of  the  Word  of  God  on  the  part  of  every  Christian. 
(John  V.  38,  39.) 

This  is  the  bread  of  life  to  the  spiritual  man.  A  sys- 
tematic study  of  the  Bible  is  as  essential  to  spiritual 
growth  as  regularity  in  eating  to  physical.  As  well  expect 
to  thrive  without  nourishing  food  as  to  grow  spiritually 
without  regular  help  from  God's  Word.  Cut  off  an  army 
from  its  base  of  supplies,  and  there  will  be  no  more  vic- 
tories. We  sometimes  wonder  why  so  many  Christians 
are  so  easily  conquered  by  sin.  An  unopened  Bible  will 
generally  enter  into  the  explanation.  A  busy  lawyer 
once  heard  his  pastor  declare  that  no  man  could  read  his 
Bible  every  morning  for  many  weeks  without  missing  it 
keenly  if  a  day  should  be  omitted.  He  did  not  believe 
it  at  the  time.  But  the  purpose  to  try  it  for  a  while  was 
carried  out.  One  day  a  tardy  rising  meant  either  to  miss 
an  early  train  or  the  Bible  reading.  The  Bible  was  left 
unopened.  The  experience  was  an  astonishment  to  the 
man.  His  sense  of  lack  was  real  that  day.  Now  his 
Bible  is  opened  daily,  and  the  fruit  of  the  habit  is  precious. 

Prayer. — Thou  art  the  Way,  the  Truth,  the  Life,  O 
Christ.  Thou  hast  translated  the  written  word  into  the 
living  Word.     Help  me  also  to  do  this. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  27 

STUDY   IV-— Equipment  for   Personal   Work. 
Sixth  Day:  Studying  Men — Cultivating  Tact. 

Human  nature  is  a  constant  quality.  Hence  the  sure 
way  to  know  much  about  a  man  is  to  study  and  know 
yourself.  But  no  two  people  are  alike.  Each  individual 
has  his  own  peculiarities.  Hence  every  personal  worker 
must  study  men.  We  shall  study  later,  in  more  detail, 
the  points  involved  in  becoming  intelligently  informed 
about  the  individual  to  be  reached.  But  at  this  time  we 
must  emphasize  the  necessity  of  cultivating  this  habit  if 
we  would  be  well  equipped  for  Christian  service.  The 
grace  which  is  most  conspicuous  in  the  successful  winner 
of  men  is  that  of  tact  in  dealing  with  individuals.  (Matt. 
X.  16.) 

Therefore  this  study  is  always  an  inquiry  as  to  how 
to  master  self  as  much  as  an  effort  to  understand  the  in- 
dividual with  whom  we  hope  to  have  a  helpful  influence. 
The  fundamental  condition  of  success  here  is  a  spirit  of 
sympathy,  rather  than  a  readiness  to  criticise.  The  for- 
mer will  inevitably  strengthen  your  influence  with  men. 
The  latter  will  destroy  it.  One  great  help  is  to  note  how 
successful  workers  did  this.  The  dealings  of  Christ  with 
different  people  are  luminous  in  this  respect.  Paul  was 
most  tactful,  as  when  he  spoke  in  Greek  to  the  captain 
at  the  steps  of  the  tower,  and  then  quickly  turned  and 
spoke  to  the  people  in  Hebrew.  (Acts  xxi.  37-40.)  He 
saw  just  how  to  reach  that  captain.  As  the  context 
shows,  he  was  a  man  w^ho  instinctively  paid  deference  to 
position  or  learning.  The  success  of  a  physician  is  largely 
due  to  his  careful  study  of  his  patient.  Hence  the  benefit 
of  having  a  physician  who  has  known  one  for  a  long  time. 
Just  so  will  every  man  be  the  better  able  to  help  any  one 
as  a  result  of  careful,  patient  study  of  mien  in  general, 
and  certain  individuals  in  particular. 

Prayer. — Help  me  to  know  myself,  O  Lord.  Give  me 
insight  into  life  and  character.  Quicken  my  sympathies 
for  all  men.  Grant  me  wisdom  from  on  high  that  I  may 
be  wise  in  all  my  dealings  with  every  man. 


a8   Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

— — — — ^»^"i— — ™'—^^^— — ■■^^™'— ■^■^^™^^^»^^^»^» 

STUDY   IV— Equipment  for   Personal   Work. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class. 

An  equipment  for  Christian  service  cannot  be  put  on 
by  any  artificial  means.  It  comes  only  by  growth,  and 
requires  time  for  its  development.  But  it  can  be  culti- 
vated successfully.  No  man  is  justified  in  the  opinion 
that  he  is  never  to  expect  certain  gifts  because  he  lacks 
them  now.  Consider  Mr.  Moody's  defects  as  he  began 
to  grow  into  larger  power.  Every  man  may  grow  like- 
wise.    God's  grace  is  ready  for  him. 

1.  How  does  an  appreciation  of  the  need  of  equipment 
help  in  preparation  for  personal  work?  How  great  is  the 
need  for  such  work?  Are  you  equipped  for  it?  Are  you 
striving  to  be?     If  not,  why  not? 

2.  Why  is  faith  so  vital  to  Christian  work?  What 
are  the  three  objects  upon  which  a  Christian's  faith  must 
be  centred  before  he  can  hope  to  win  men?  What  does 
it  mean  to  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ? 

3.  How  does  purity  involve  the  law  of  contact?  Can 
you  think  of  an  instance  where  you  have  seen  these  prin- 
ciples applied  among  men?  Is  this  law  now  at  work  in 
your  life?    What  is  the  result? 

4.  Why  did  Christ  need  to  pray?  Does  the  Christian 
need  to  pray  for  the  same  reason?  What  is  the  element 
of  power  in  intercessory  prayer?  What  value  results 
from  having  a  set  time  for  prayer?  What  is  your  cus- 
tom?   Is  it  satisfactory?    Do  you  know  a  man  of  prayer? 

5.  Why  should  a  Christian  know  his  Bible?  Give  four 
reasons.  Have  you  any  system  in  your  Bible  study?  If 
not,  why  not?  What  is  your  purpose  as  to  this  matter? 
Are  you  in  earnest  about  it? 

6.  What  is  your  habit  about  studying  men?  Why 
should  a  Christian  do  this?  Do  you  know  a  man  who  is 
successful  in  winning  men?  What  would  you  say  is  the 
explanation  of  his  success? 

Prayer. — Help  me  to  put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God. 
May  my  loins  be  girt  with  truth,  and  may  I  have  the 
breastplate  of  righteousness.  May  my  feet  be  shod  with 
the  preparation  of  the  Gospel  of  peace. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  19 

STUDY   V— -Hesitation   to   Attempt  Work. 
First  Day:  The  Experience  of  Moses. 

Men  have  hesitated  to  obey  the  call  of  God  to  work 
from  the  beginning.  One  of  the  notable  instances  in  the 
early  records  of  Scripture  is  that  of  Moses.  He  did  not 
hesitate  at  first.  It  might  have  been  better  if  he  had,  for 
his  zeal  was  without  knowledge.  There  is  a  proper  hesi- 
tation in  the  sense  of  unfitness ;  but  it  should  never  be  an 
excuse  for  neglect.  It  should  spur  one  on  at  once  to 
preparation.  On  the  other  hand,  Moses  was  benefited 
by  his  first  attempts,  because  his  mistakes  taught  him  his 
need,  and  he  profited  by  them.  The  greatest  mistake 
Moses  made  was  in  being  too  much  discouraged  because 
his  first  attempts  were  not  successful.  God  did  not  intend 
Moses  to  stop  his  work  because  of  the  mistakes.  God  led 
him  through  a  discipline  which  helped  him  to  be  ready 
to  attempt  again. 

But  Moses'  excuses  were  persistently  given,  one  after 
another.  Yet  God  would  not  accept  them.  (Ex,  iii.  10- 
18;  iv.  1-18.)  The  divine  constraint  was  compelling  in 
its  power  upon  the  heart  of  Moses.  Even  when  discour- 
aged he  could  not  get  rid  of  the  conviction  that  was  burn- 
ing in  his  soul  that  God  wanted  him  to  help  save  Israel. 
Just  so  God  calls  men  to-day  to  go  to  the  help  of  His 
people  in  China,  in  India,  or  it  may  be  in  the  city  where 
we  live.  Are  we  resisting  God's  call?  Are  we  excusing 
ourselves  in  the  spirit  of  Moses?  Have  we  tried  and  been 
discouraged,  and  therefore  disposed  to  justify  our  failure 
to  attempt  anything  more?  If  so,  let  us  be  very  sure  God 
will  not  accept  our  excuses  any  more  than  He  accepted 
those  of  Moses.  He  may  lead  us  to  a  better  preparation, 
as  He  did  Moses,  but  He  will  again  soon  demand  of  us 
that  we  go  and  do  His  bidding  in  the  effort  to  help  to 
win  men. 

Prayer. — Help  mc  to  study  the  experience  of  Moses 
with  an  earnest  heart,  O  Lord,  that  I  may  not  be  con- 
demned in  the  light  of  the  truth  Thou  hast  taught  mc  by 
this  record.    Help  me  to  be  ready  to  attempt  Thy  will. 


30  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  V— Hesitation  to  Attempt  Work. 
Second  Day:  The  Experience  of  David. 

It  is  a  most  Instructive  and  practical  lesson  which  is 
presented  In  the  experience  of  David  which  we  are  to 
consider.  The  story  Is  told  In  i  Samuel  xvll.  31-40, 
where  the  Incident  occurs  which  marks  the  one  moment 
of  David's  hesitation  In  his  great  contest  with  the  giant 
of  Gath.  He  had  found  the  Lord  to  be  his  shepherd  and 
deliverer  on  the  Judean  hills.  He  had  no  fear  of  the 
giant  to  be  conquered,  but  his  hesitation  was  due  to  the 
fact  that  his  advisers  would  have  him  attempt  to  be  some 
other  than  himself,  and  go  to  his  task  with  a  somewhat 
artificial  preparation.  David's  Inmost  heart  shrank  from 
that,  and  his  hesitation  was  his  salvation.  But  mark 
again,  as  In  the  case  of  Moses,  the  hesitation  could  not 
for  a  moment  justify  the  failure  to  persist  In  his  task. 
The  hesitation  was  to  be  overcome  by  discovering  the 
best  thing  to  do  which  would  take  It  away  and  leave  the 
man  of  faith  free  to  face  the  giant  with  what  may  appro- 
priately be  called  a  "holy  boldness." 

Every  Christian  needs  to  learn  this  lesson.  We  hesi- 
tate to  be  anything  but  our  natural  selves.  You  will  find 
other  people  succeeding  In  their  way.  It  may  or  may  not 
be  your  way.  But  you  will  be  led  to  see  what  method  of 
procedure  Is  best  adapted  to  yourself.  Do  not  be  turned 
from  that.  Cultivate  that  faithfully.  If  God  did  not 
give  you  certain  gifts  which  seem  to  explain  the  success 
of  your  friends,  be  sure  that  He  has  some  other  talent  for 
your  equipment  which  will  be  far  more  effective  In  your 
work.  David  in  Saul's  armor  Is  a  picture  of  some  who 
have  failed  just  because  of  the  misfit  in  the  weapons  used. 
It  was  with  his  simple  sling  that  David  was  at  home  and 
successful. 

Prayer. — ^Just  as  I  am,  with  whatever  gifts  Thou  hast 
endowed  me,  I  pray  for  grace  to  be  ready  to  obey  Thy 
call,  confident  that  with  Thy  help  I  can  accomplish  the 
work  Thou  wouldst  have  me  attempt. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  31 

STUDY   V— Hesitation   to   Attempt  Work. 
Third  Day:  The  Experience  of  Isaiah. 

Isaiah's  was  still  a  different  kind  of  hesitation.  (Is.  vu 
1-8.)  Doubtless  many  Christians  hesitate  because  of  this 
sense  of  unworthiness  and  sin.  It  was  the  crisis-hour  in 
the  prophet's  life.  Here  again  it  is  evident  that  Isaiah 
did  not  expect  to  be  excused  from  the  sense  of  duty  which 
burdened  his  soul.  He  felt  that  someone  must  speak  for 
Jehovah,  and  while  he  was  not  worthy,  his  heart's  cry  to 
God  breathes  the  idea  that  a  cleansing  from  God  would 
fit  him  to  go.  He  had  never  before  appreciated  the  holi- 
ness of  God  as  on  that  day.  The  immediate  result  of 
his  vision  was  a  new  appreciation  of  his  own  sin.  He 
was  doubtless  one  of  the  best  men  in  the  land  before  that 
day;  but  this  experience  went  deeper  than  any  other  had 
done. 

When  a  man  sees  his  sinfulness  because  he  has  seen 
God's  holiness,  his  very  hesitation  from  a  sense  of  un* 
worthiness  is  a  preparation  for  cleansing  which  will  enable 
God  to  use  him  as  never  before.  Note  how  Isaiah's 
realization  of  need  was  coupled  with  a  new  sense  of 
Israel's  need  (v.  5),  both  because  he  had  a  new  vision  of 
God.  Your  real  view  of  man's  need  w^ill  always  be  deter- 
mined by  your  view  of  God.  If  you  see  that  God's  holi- 
ness means  a  love  of  purity,  which  must  be  a  burning 
flame  against  impurity,  then  the  compelling  conviction  will 
follow  that  any  man  who  hopes  for  fellowship  with  God 
must  have  a  clean  heart.  It  will  take  hold  of  your  soul 
with  increasing  power.  The  man  who  does  not  hesitate 
in  the  spirit  of  Isaiah  needs  a  deepening  sense  of  his  own 
need  of  divine  cleansing.  Seeking  that  day  by  day  from 
the  altar  of  God,  he  may  be  ready  to  go  wherever  God 
calls  him,  and  attempt  without  hesitation  to  do  whatever 
God  sets  before  him. 

Prayer. — Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord,  God  Almighty!  I 
am  unclean  in  Thy  sight!  Oh,  deepen  my  sense  of  sin! 
Give  me  a  new  vision  of  the  beauty  of  holiness,  until  my 
strongest  passion  shall  be  the  desire  to  be  pure  in  all  mjr 
life!    Then  send  me  forth  to  do  Thy  will. 


32  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY   V— Hesitation  to  Attempt  Work. 
Fourth  Day:  The  Experience  of  Jonah* 

Jonah's  hesitation  is  of  a  more  familiar  sort.  But  here 
again  note  how  Jonah's  failure  to  understand  God  ex- 
plains, most  of  all,  his  unworthy  spirit.  His  experience 
only  emphasizes  once  more  the  necessity  of  knowing  God 
in  order  to  serve  Him.  (Jonah  i.  1-3.)  His  sense  of 
duty  was  the  real  thing,  because  it  made  him  feel  that 
God  required  it  of  him.  Have  we  heard  God  saying  to 
us,  each  one:  "Arise,  go!"?  Until  we  do  our  better  life 
has  not  yet  begun.  Jonah  deliberately  determined  to 
shirk.  How  many  Christians  do  this  continually !  Many 
never  have  a  deep  sense  of  duty ;  but  many  more  who  have 
will  quietly  smother  it  if  they  can.  Note  how  all  the 
circumstances  seemed  at  first  to  make  it  easy  for  Jonah 
to  disobey.  Doubtless  he  began  to  think  the  conditions 
were  almost  providential  in  opening  the  way  of  escape 
from  duty.     Glance  through  the  brief  story. 

Thus  do  many  yield  to  the  whisper  of  the  tempter,  who 
leads  them  deeper  into  sin  by  this  very  snare  of  seeming 
good  fortune.  But  it  was  all  in  vain.  God  had  a  work 
for  Jonah,  and  down  in  Jonah's  heart  the  true  prophet, 
though  weak,  was  waiting  to  confess  his  sin  and  attempt 
his  duty.  Alas!  that  discipline  should  so  often  be  neces- 
sary to  chasten  the  children  of  God  before  they  are  ready 
to  do  the  Father's  will!  Even  in  the  midst  of  his  work 
Jonah's  selfish  and  narrow  views  shadowed  his  life  with 
bitterness  toward  God  and  an  unforgiving  spirit  toward 
Nineveh.  How  many  Christians  who  are  useful,  often 
helpful  at  times,  have  shadowed  their  service  by  some 
weakness  of  temper,  or  some  protrusion  of  self!  All  life 
is  either  an  attempt  to  perform  duty  or  shirk  it.  Every 
deserter  is  trying  to  hide  from  God.    The  folly  of  it! 

Prayer. — Divine  Master,  Thou  givest  me  only  the  best 
thing  to  do.  In  all  my  work  give  me  a  vision  of  Thine 
uplifting  countenance  upon  me.  Let  me  not  betray  the 
spirit  of  the  deserter,  but  fill  me  with  the  spirit  of  obedi- 
ence to  Thee. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  ^3 

STUDY   V— Hesitation  to   Attempt  Worb. 
Fifth  Day:  The  Experience  of  Peter. 

When  a  man  is  conscientious  In  his  hesitation,  because 
of  education  and  ingrained  conviction,  he  Is  not  so  n>uch 
to  be  blamed  as  to  be  pitied;  but  his  prejudice  must  be 
broken  just  the  same.  Peter's  experience  is  in  point. 
(Acts  X.)  Peter  could  not  believe  that  It  would  be  right 
to  break  the  laws  of  God,  as  he  saw  them.  He  did  not 
yet  know  that  God  had  some  higher  laws.  Christ  had 
taught  them,  but  His  disciples  had  not  realized  the  fact. 
Christ  had  taught  God's  love  for  the  whole  world,  and 
that  He  must  bring  other  sheep,  not  of  this  fold  of 
Israel.  Christ  had  laid  down  the  principles  of  Ignoring 
the  letter  of  the  old  law  if  the  spirit  of  the  higher  law 
demanded  it;  but  Peter  had  not  appreciated  all  this.  He 
admitted  the  world-movement,  but  he  could  not  Imagine 
any  one  becoming  a  Christian  who  did  not  first  become  a 
Jew.     Here  was  his  trouble. 

Alas!  that  it  should  still  flourish  among  the  followers 
of  Christ!  Men  hesitate  to  win  their  fellows  to  Christ 
unless  they  come  into  the  Church  by  the  way  of  the  Pres- 
byterian, or  Baptist,  or  Episcopal,  or  Methodist  door! 
Others  hesitate  to  recognize  Romanists  as  God's  people, 
and  Insist  on  Protestantism  or  nothing!  Here  again  is 
the  pathos  of  Christian  history!  No  sane  man  would 
ignore  the  lines  of  dlifering  convictions  and  methods  in 
carrying  on  Christian  w^ork,  but  the  world  needs,  as  the 
Church  needs,  that  spirit  which  hails  with  joy  every  sign 
of  Christian  faith  and  service  everywhere,  and  seeks  rather 
to  be  Inclusive  than  exclusive,  as  exponents  of  the  mind 
of  Christ.  Note  that  Peter's  great  hunger  for  souls  made 
it  easy  for  him  to  break  with  his  old  prejudices.  He 
learned  of  a  man  who  longed  for  Christ.  God's  vision 
of  a  larger  spirit  settled  his  prejudices,  and  he  went. 
What  blessings  resulted ! 

Prayer. — O  Thou  who  art  no  respecter  of  persons,  help 
me  to  remember  Thy  valuation  of  an  Immortal  soul,  and 
help  me  to  put  into  a  secondary  place  any  prejudice  that 
would  hinder  my  best  effort  to  save  men. 


34  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY   V—Hesitation   to   Attempt  Work. 
Sixth  Day:  The  Experience  of  Paul. 

What!  Did  Paul  ever  hesitate?  Even  so.  It  is  en- 
couraging to  the  average  Christian  worker  to  know  that 
Paul  was  human,  and  at  least  once  shrank  from  his  task. 
His  was  the  hesitation  of  discouragement.  But,  of  course, 
as  always,  it  was  because  he  was  measuring  the  task  in 
the  light  of  his  own  limitations  and  conscious  inefficiency. 
He  needed  a  new  vision  of  the  divine  helper.  It  was  at 
Corinth,  and  the  Lord  spoke  to  bim  as  recorded  in  Acts 
xviii.  9-1 1.  That  settled  it  for  Paul,  and  "he  continued 
there." 

The  hesitation  of  discouragement — how  common  is 
this!  Again  we  note  the  sign  of  unbelief.  The  writer 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  reminded  the  Christians 
of  his  day  of  Israel's  failure  to  enter  into  the  promised 
land.  (Heb.  iii.  12-19.)  He  might  have  described  it  as 
the  discouragement  of  unbelief,  and  consequently  the  hesi- 
tation of  discouragement.  Yet  God  had  delivered  them 
from  Egypt  and  the  Red  Sea.  How  could  they  doubt  His 
readiness  and  power  to  deliver  them  from  the  desert  and 
the  Canaanites?  Yet  they  did.  So  do  we  likewise.  We 
who  know  the  saving  power  of  God  should  put  away  all 
doubts  forever  as  to  His  ability  to  give  His  people  the 
victory  in  the  battle  against  sin  and  in  the  triumphant 
winning  of  the  w^orld.  The  odds  are  not  as  great  now 
as  they  were  when  Paul  faced  them.  Paul  never  seems 
to  have  doubted  again.  Christ  had  saved  him,  the  chief 
of  sinners,  as  he  considered  himself,  and  he  came  to  be- 
lieve that  therefore  any  man  could  be  saved  by  the  same 
mighty  power.  Oh,  for  an  ear  to  hear  the  word  of  our 
Lord  speaking  to  us  as  he  spake  to  Paul ! 

Prayer. — Help  me  to  realize  that  Thou  hast  many  peo- 
ple, O  Christ,  waiting  to  hear  the  word  of  life,  mayhap 
from  my  lips.  They  must  be  brought,  and  that,  too,  by 
the  labors  of  Thy  witnesses.  Help  me  to  conquer  the 
hesitation  of  discouragement,  and  learn  to  say  with  Paul, 
"I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which  strcngthen- 
eth  me." 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  35 


STUDY   V— Hesitation   to   Attempt  Work. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class, 

The  vision  of  God's  presence  is  the  notable  experience 
of  these  men  of  whose  hesitation  we  have  been  studying. 
Let  every  Christian  ponder  this  fact  with  an  earnest 
spirit,  asking  himself  what  condition  is  necessary  to  secure 
such  a  vision  of  God.  Let  us  do  this,  and  for  us,  as  for 
these  men,  the  larger,  holier,  truer,  braver  life  will  begin. 

1.  What  was  the  character  of  the  hesitation  of  IMoses? 
What  was  proper  about  it?  W'  v  was  he  not  justified 
in  continuing  to  hesitate?  Have  you  been  so  discouraged 
by  mistakes  as  to  be  inclined  to  make  no  more  efforts  at 
Christian  work?  Will  God  be  satisfied  with  this  atti- 
tude in  you?    What  must  you  do?    Will  you  do  it? 

2.  What  was  the  character  of  David's  hesitation? 
Why  was  it  justified?  How  did  he  overcome  it?  What 
special  lesson  is  taught  the  Christian  w^orker  in  this 
reading? 

3.  What  was  the  character  of  Isaiah's  hesitation? 
Why  was  it  right?  How  was  it  overcome?  Why  does 
your  view  of  God  determine  your  view"  of  man's  need? 
Have  you  felt  this  experience  of  Isaiah?  Do  you  de- 
sire it? 

4.  What  was  the  character  of  Jonah's  hesitation? 
Why  was  it  wrong?  What  excuses  do  you  think  he  made 
to  himself  for  disobeying  God?  Do  you  ever  make  such 
excuses  in  face  of  plain  dutj^? 

5.  What  was  the  character  of  Peter's  hesitation? 
Was  it  justified  in  any  degree?  Give  a  reason  for  j^our 
opinion.  Why  would  it  have  been  wrong  to  maintain 
it  longer?     What  great  lesson  is  taught  in  this  reading? 

6.  What  was  the  character  of  Paul's  hesitation  ?  Why 
was  it  unjustifiable?  Why  is  it  so  common  now?  How 
shall  it  be  overcome? 

Prayer. — Forgive  me,  O  Lord,  my  selfish  fears.  Help 
me  to  cease  measuring  duty  by  my  own  weakness,  and 
inspire  me  with  the  confidence  of  David  that  Thou  wilt 
give  the  victory  over  every  giant  of  sin  with  which  I  must 
struggle. 


36  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY    VI— The    True    Spirit   of   the    Christian 
Worker. 

First  Day:  Unselfishness — Sympathy, 

The  last  Study  involved  the  true  spirit  of  the  worker 
on  its  negative  side.  This  Study  involves  the  positive 
side.  In  the  place  of  hesitation  we  are  to  strive  to  culti- 
vate the  qualities  which  are  herein  set  forth.  We  are 
to  make  this  study  in  the  light  of  I  Corinthians  xiii.  Its 
analysis  points  to  the  very  heart  and  secret  of  this  won- 
derful spirit  of  love  as  being  found  in  the  words,  Love 
seeketh  not  her  own.  He  who  would  win  men  to  Christ 
must  learn,  above  all  things  else,  that  the  first  requisite 
is  unselfishness.  The  other  side  of  this  spirit  is  that  of 
sympathy  for  others.  Just  as  God's  sympathy  illumines 
God's  personal  work  for  us,  so  our  sympathy  will  reveal 
itself  in  personal  work  for  our  fellows.  Paul  sets  forth 
this  vital  fact  in  Philippians  ii.  5-1 1,  where  he  urges  that 
we  let  this  mind  be  in  us  "which  was  also  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  and  describes  that  "mind  of  Christ,"  who  "emp- 
tied Himself"  in  order  to  accomplish  our  redemption. 

Genuine  unselfishness  is  very  rare.  This  fact  easily 
explains  the  widespread  indifference  to  Christian  work 
which  honeycombs  the  Church  of  to-day.  The  moment 
the  cross  begins  to  be  heavy,  thousands  who  have  taken 
the  name  of  Christ  decline  to  continue  in  His  service, 
who  climbed  the  hill  of  Golgotha,  with  bleeding  feet  and 
bleeding  brow,  for  their  salvation.  They  propose  to 
accept  that  salvation,  with  all  its  blessings,  but  not  to 
share  the  fellowship  of  His  sufEerings.  Who  can  doubt 
that  to  many  such  the  words  of  the  Master  must  be 
spoken,  Depart  from  me,  I  never  knew  you.  The 
selfish  life  of  the  professed  Christian  is  the  veriest  mock- 
ery. The  world  smiles  at  empty  professions.  But  wher- 
ever men  do  reveal  the  Christ-spirit  of  unselfishness, 
instantly  their  worth  is  recognized  and  their  power  felt. 
God  uses  them  with  blessed  results. 

Prayer. — O  Thou  who  didst  crucify  self,  burn  out  of 
my  life  everything  that  is  unlike  Thee.  Help  me  also  to 
crucify  the  self  that  would  put  desire  above  duty. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  37 

STUDY    VI— The    True    Spirit   of   the    Christian 
Worker. 

Second  Day:  Humility — Courtesy o 

In  the  Christian  the  consciousness  of  limitations  will 
ever  tend  to  prevent  boastfulness.  The  one  fact  which 
helps  most  here  is  that  God  expects  every  man  to  reveal 
Christ.  By  so  much  as  I  ask  myself  how  far  I  am  reveal- 
ing Christ,  I  am  emptied  of  self-exaltation  by  the  con- 
sciousness of  a  pitiful  failure.  Not  only  so,  but  the  secret 
of  all  true  respect  for  every  other  man  is  this  same  fact 
that  Christ  is  seeking  to  be  fully  developed  in  his  life. 
Let  a  Christian,  who  has  once  caught  a  vision  of  Christ's 
unselfish  sympathy  for  him,  behold  a  fellow-man,  how- 
ever fallen  and  seemingly  hopeless  he  may  be,  and  the 
truth  which  Immediately  invests  that  fallen  man  with 
dignity  and  importance  is  the  fact  that  he  possesses  the 
capacity  to  be  changed  until  Christ  shall  be  revealed  in 
him.     (Acts  xx.  17-21.) 

Therefore  the  courtesy  of  one  Christian  gentleman  in 
the  making  goes  out  to  another  whose  making  Is  only 
delayed,  and  perhaps  waiting  for  my  effort  to  lead  him 
to  Christ.  Surely  this  Is  the  noblesse  oblige  of  Christian 
love  and  Christ-like  service.  (Rom.  xv.  i  and  Gal. 
vi.  I.) 

In  keeping  with  this  is  a  certain  humility  which  is 
ready  to  confess  that  I  do  not  know  all  about  the  Chris- 
tian life,  and  a  modesty  of  assurance  which  at  once  insists 
upon  the  reality  of  what  I  do  know,  without  repelling 
one  who  is  conscious  not  only  of  his  limitations,  but  of 
mine  also.  Assumption  of  superiority  in  the  Christian  Is 
fatal  to  the  best  results  in  attempting  to  win  our  fellow- 
sinners  to  faith  in  our  Saviour. 

Prayer. — As  I  am  undeserving  of  Thy  love,  blessed 
Christ,  help  me  to  realize  that  every  other  undeserving 
man  is  as  much  the  object  of  Thy  love  as  I  am,  and  give 
me  the  grace  to  be  a  Christian  gentleman  in  all  my  con- 
tact with  all  men. 


38  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY    VI—The    True    Spirit   of   the    Christian 
Worker. 

Third  Day:  Earnestness — Enthusiasm. 

The  original  thought  of  the  Greeks  regarding  enthusi- 
asm must  be  revived.  It  meant  to  them  God  in  a  man. 
It  should  be  synonymous  with  our  thought  of  earnestness, 
as  really  explaining  it.  It  involves  a  thorough-going  sin- 
cerity which  recognizes  realities,  and  bends  all  the  ener- 
gies of  the  life  toward  realizing  manhood  at  its  best  and 
at  its  most  for  one's  self  and  for  every  one  else  we  can 
influence.  Any  so-called  enthusiast  is  a  misnomer  unless 
his  earnestness  of  spirit  is  centred  upon  the  life  in  which 
God  dwells  and  works.  Paul  was  a  real  enthusiast.  He 
could  say,  I  live,  yet  not  I,  Christ  liveth  in  me.  That 
explained  his  "agonizing"  to  have  his  own  life  worthy, 
to  have  the  temple  clean  for  the  divine  Guest's  indwell- 
ing. That  explains  his  zeal  amid  oppositions  and  perse- 
cutions and  privations,  such  as  would  have  staggered  many 
another  man.     (John  xv.  i-ii.) 

Paul  w^as  in  "dead  earnest."  Note  the  point  to  that 
phrase  which  is  in  such  common  usage.  The  man  who 
is  in  dead  earnest  Is  living  just  for  one  thing,  and  Is  dead 
to  everything  else.  This  is  true  enthusiasm.  The  true 
Christian  worker  will  have  this  spirit  growing  In  his  life. 
He  will  strive  to  cultivate  Its  beauty  and  power.  The 
lack  of  It  cuts  the  nerve  of  service  In  thousands  of  lives. 
Indifference  is  the  deadly  symptom  of  spiritual  paralysis. 
The  lethargy  of  spiritual  laziness  Is  the  shame  of  the 
Church  to-day.  Self  Is  the  centre  of  such  living,  and  God 
is  not  in  the  life  to  any  such  extent  as  to  lead  anyone  to 
suspect  His  presence.  God  will  come  In  as  far  as  any 
man  will  let  Him  In;  but  He  is  never  satisfied  until  He 
has  the  gift  of  the  heart's  best  love.  Let  God  be  In  the 
life,  and  men  w^IU  soon  know  It  and  respond  to  the  efforts 
of  the  man  of  true  enthusiasm.     (Gal.  vl.  17.) 

Prayer. — Abide  in  me,  and  I  In  Thee,  O  Christ,  my 
Saviour,  my  God.  By  that  abiding  may  all  men  know 
that  I  am  Thine,  and  Thou  art  mine. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  39 

STUDY    VI—The    True    Spirit   of   the    Christian 
Worker. 

Fourth  Day:  Trust — The  Allegiance  of  a  True  Life. 

The  confident  conviction  that  God  intends  every  man 
lo  be  developed  into  the  likeness  of  Jesus  Christ  greatly 
strengthens  the  assurance  that  God  w^Ill  help  every  man 
who  strives  to  bring  about  this  result  In  human  lives. 
The  spirit  of  trust  thrives  only  in  the  realm  of  the  true. 
Only  so  far  as  man  is  counted  true  wiW  he  be  trusted. 
And  only  so  far  as  men  realize  that  God  Is  true  can  they 
trust  God.  The  strength  of  friendship  rests  In  this — the 
happiness  of  home  rests  In  this,  that  the  spirit  of  trust 
thrives  In  the  mutual  confidence  of  true  lives.  Let  either 
cease  to  be  true,  trust  is  supplanted  by  suspicion,  and  joy 
is  turned  to  ashes.  But  this  suggests  a  fact  of  vital  im- 
portance to  the  Christian.     (Gen.  xxxix.  7-9  and  21-23.) 

Since  the  virile  strength  of  true  friendship  involves 
mutual  trust,  I  must  not  only  feel  sure  that  I  can  trust 
God,  but  I  must  also  feel  that  God  can  trust  me  and  can 
count  on  me  not  to  fall  Him.  God  always  has  His  times 
of  need,  when  He  will  need  my  help.  I  can  trust  Him 
to  help  me  In  my  time  of  need.  Can  He  trust  me  to  help 
Him  in  His  time  of  need?  This  is  the  test  of  the  alle- 
giance of  a  true  life.  And  mark  the  necessity  of  it.  By 
just  so  much  as  I  cannot  feel  sure  that  God  can  trust 
me  I  cannot  feel  sure  that  I  can  trust  God.  My  faith 
to  lay  hold  on  God's  promise  to  me  must  always  be 
measured  by  my  purpose  to  be  true  to  my  promise  to  God. 
One  of  the  splendid  facts  In  our  business  w^orld  is  the 
widespread  spirit  of  trust  In  the  promises  of  men  one  to 
another.  But  many  Christian  business  men  have  no  such 
concern  about  keeping  their  promises  to  God  as  they  do 
about  being  faithful  to  promises  to  their  fellow-men. 
Here  is  a  vital  essential  to  a  true  Christian  worker. 

Prayer. — Let  my  supreme  purpose  be  to  live  so  that 
Thou  canst  trust  me,  O  God.  Then  I  shall  trust  Thee 
with  a  victorious  faith.  Thou  canst  not  deny  Thyself. 
May  I  learn  to  be  genuinely  true,  true  in  motive,  in 
thought,  in  the  whole  life. 


40  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY    VI— The    True    Spirit   of   the   Christian 
Worker. 

Fifth  Day:  Patience — Forbearance. 

Love  "beareth  all  things,  belleveth  all  things,  endureth 
all  things."  The  apostle  James  suggests  (i.  3,  4)  that 
when  patience  has  finished  her  perfect  work  little  else 
remains  to  make  a  perfect  man.  The  apostle  then  goes 
on  to  show  how  wonderfully  patient  God  is  with  us. 
We  ask  wisdom  from  Him,  and  He  giveth  liberally.  But 
we  forget  Him  and  turn  away  into  paths  of  our  own 
choosing.  Then  we  come  again,  and  ask  again,  and  He 
giveth  liberally,  and  upbraideth  not  (i.  5).  Again  we 
forget,  and  again  return  asking  for  more  blessings,  and 
still  He  giveth  and  upbraideth  not.  Divine  patience! 
And  shall  we  be  hasty  to  be  impatient  when  our  efforts 
may  not  be  crowned  with  the  success  for  which  we  hoped 
and  prayed  as  soon  as  we  had  expected  ?    God  forbid ! 

Let  us  learn  this  lesson  well,  not  to  be  weary  in  well- 
doing, for  in  due  season  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not. 
None  the  less  intense  must  be  our  agonizing  of  spirit,  our 
zeal  in  effort,  our  importunity  in  prayer.  But  evermore 
must  there  be  a  quiet  waiting  on  God,  whose  Spirit  work- 
eth  in  and  through  and  beyond  our  efforts.  Immediately 
related  to  the  inner  spirit  of  this  thought  is  the  further 
discussion  by  James  of  the  mastery  of  the  tongue  as  the 
mark  of  the  perfect  man.  But  back  of  this  is  the  spirit 
of  patience  in  the  heart.  What  significant  words  are 
those,  ''But  Jesus  held  His  peace."  (Matt.  xxvi.  63.)  He 
could  not  afford  to  let  it  go.  The  poise  of  such  a  life 
begets  a  quiet  purpose  to  *Vait  patiently"  in  the  midst 
of  all  conditions,  no  matter  how  aggravating  they  may 
be.  There  are  many  phases  of  Christian  work,  but  in  all 
of  them  this  grace  of  patience  must  ever  be  found,  if  the 
life  be  made  useful  in  the  service  of  Christ  and  if  the 
Christian  would  be  at  his  best  and  most. 

Prayer. — Help  me  to  curb  my  temper  and  guard  my 
tongue,  O  Thou  Prince  of  peace.  May  patience  have  her 
perfect  work  in  me.  Keep  me  from  that  impatience  which 
weakens  my  influence  witti  men^  and  my  peace  with  Thee. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  41 

STUDY    VI— The    True    Spirit   of   the    Christian 
Worker. 

Sixth  Day:  Perseverance — *'Love  never  faileth" 

Full  of  unspeakable  encouragement  and  comfort  are 
those  words  of  John  the  Beloved  regarding  our  Lord, 
Having  loved  His  own,  He  loved  them  to  the  end 
(xiii.  i).  True  love  will  never  let  go.  (John  x.  28-30.) 
It  is  the  explanation  of  unselfish  sympathy,  of  courteous 
humility,  of  earnest  enthusiasm,  of  trustful  allegiance  and 
forbearing  patience.  It  persevereth  therein  unto  the  end. 
Tennyson's  cry  of  adoration,  "Strong  Son  of  God,  im- 
mortal Love,"  must  be  the  cry  of  every  heart  that  has 
measured  the  tenacity  of  the  purpose  of  Christ  to  save 
this  sin-enslaved  race. 

There  is  a  word  which  appears  in  the  history  of  Israel 
which  carries  in  it  the  significance  of  this  fact.  It  is  the 
word  nevertheless.  (Judges  ii.  16.)  We  read  of  Israel's 
promises  of  allegiance  to  Jehovah,  and  then  of  its  idolatry 
and  forgetfulness  of  God,  but  we  are  told  that  ''never- 
theless the  Lord  raised  them  up  a  deliverer."  Again  and 
again  their  failures  are  repeated;  nevertheless  God  did 
not  forget  them.  Even  some  such  spirit  must  dominate 
the  life  and  love  of  the  followers  of  Christ  who  would 
reveal  His  spirit  in  His  service.  It  is  not  easy,  but  it  is 
the  mark  of  a  true  Christian  as  a  genuine  hero  of  the  faith. 

This  is  a  battle  to  the  finish,  and  "there  is  no  discharge 
in  this  war."  Let  the  record  of  difficulty  and  discourage- 
ment be  what  it  may,  our  "nevertheless"  must  never  be 
w^anting.  "Love  never  faileth."  How  much  that  meant 
to  Paul!  And  how  he  lived  it,  through  scourges  and 
stonings  and  shipwrecks,  and  hardships  of  every  sort! 
This  was  his  cry:  "None  of  these  things  move  me,  neither 
count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  might  finish 
my  course  with  joy."  But  to  finish  with  joy  we  must 
needs  persevere  unto  the  end.     (Acts  xx.  24.) 

Prayer. — For  Thy  "nevertheless"  I  thank  Thee,  O 
God  of  wondrous  grace.  Let  me  not  be  cast  down,  let 
me  not  be  weary  in  well-doing,  but  help  me  ever  to  be 
buoyant  and  hopeful. 


42  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY    VI— The    True    Spirit   of  the    Christian, 
Worker. 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class, 

Read  i  Corinthians  xii.  31.  Paul's  "more  excellent 
way"  is  to  have  the  love  of  Christ  in  the  heart,  and  then 
its  fruit  w^ill  appear  in  all  these  various  graces  of  the 
Christian  life.  The  emphasis  of  the  value  of  each  sepa- 
rate excellence  of  character  only  magnifies  the  need  of 
this  abiding  source  of  all  spiritual  growth. 

1.  What  reason  would  you  give  for  saying  unselfish- 
ness is  the  primary  grace  of  all  that  are  mentioned  in 
I  Corinthians  xiii.?  How  would  you  prove  its  lack  in 
the  Christian  Church?  What  misconception  do  many 
nominal  Christians  have  about  accepting  Christ's  sal- 
vation? 

2.  How  IS  boastfulness  hurtful  in  the  Christian  life? 
How  is  courtesy  naturally  related  to  humility?  What 
is  the  noblesse  oblige  of  Christian  love?  Is  it  hard  for 
you  to  manifest  this  spirit  toward  men? 

3.  How  would  you  describe  a  true  enthusiast?  What 
were  the  marks  of  Paul's  enthusiasm?  When  is  a  man 
"dead  in  earnest"?  How  much  of  earnestness  is  in  your 
life?     How  can  you  cultivate  true  earnestness? 

4.  What  is  necessary  to  an  abiding  trust?  Are  you 
a  true  friend  of  Christ?  As  you  realize  that  you  must 
trust  Him,  are  you  confident  that  He  can  trust  you  to 
be  true  to  Him  and  to  His  cause? 

5.  Why  is  patience  so  necessary  to  successful  Chris- 
tian work?  Plow  do  you  succeed  in  being  patient?  Can 
you  recall  an  act  of  impatience  that  has  been  hurtful? 

6.  Could  you  suggest  a  reason  why  true  love  must 
persevere  to  the  end  ?  Have  you  ever  tried  to  realize  the 
marvellous  grace  of  God  revealed  in  His  "nevertheless"? 

Prayer, — 

**  Love  divine,  all  love  excelling, 

Joy  of  heaven,  to  earth  come  down  % 
Fix  in  us  Thy  humble  dwelling. 
All  Tiiy  faithful  mercies  crown  I  ** 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  43 

STUDY   Vll—Christ  Winning  Individuals. 
First  Day:  Christ  Winning  Andrew. 

The  man  who  is  striving  to  live  up  to  all  the  light  he 
has  will  soon  know  Christ.  Such  an  one  was  Andrew. 
As  an  earnest,  honest  man,  he  was  attracted  to  John  the 
Baptist.  As  a  disciple  of  John,  he  was  prepared  for  the 
coming  of  the  Christ.  John's  first  reference  to  Jesus  did 
not  seem  to  bring  immediate  results,  but  It  must  have 
set  the  disciples  to  earnest  thinking,  for  when  he  repeated 
his  words  the  next  day  two  of  his  hearers  turned  and 
followed  Jesus.  One  of  these  was  Andrew.  It  is  sup- 
posed the  other  was  John.  (John  i.  35-42.)  Christ  was 
alert  for  the  first  footfall  of  the  approaching  disciples, 
and  asked  them  what  they  sought.  There  was  encour- 
agement in  his  tone  and  look.  But  it  was  a  searching 
question.  It  is  always  the  question  of  Christ  to  every 
soul  that  approacheth  Him — "What  seek  ye?"  We  must 
know  the  real  truth  about  our  coming  or  we  quickly 
betray  the  lack  of  truest  sincerity.  These  two  young 
men  desired  to  know  Jesus. 

Note  how  Christ  dealt  with  this  sort  of  man.  "Come 
and  see,"  was  His  reply  to  their  inquiry  as  to  where  He 
abode.  Christ's  attitude  is  ever  one  of  invitation,  espe- 
cially to  the  honest  seeker.  These  welcomed  friends 
"abode  with  Him  that  day,"  and  Christ  revealed  Him- 
self to  them.  Doubtless  there  were  questions  and  an- 
swers. Probably  some  of  their  inquiries  were  not  spoken, 
but  He  saw  the  intents  of  their  hearts,  and  satisfied  them 
fully,  for  they  went  away  convinced  that  He  was  the 
Messiah.  They  did  not  yet  know  how  much  that  meant. 
Andrew  hastened  forth  to  announce  his  discovery.  But 
to  do  more  than  this  was  In  Christ's  purpose  for  him, 
and  the  lesson  to  note  here  Is  that  it  Is  easy  to  win  those 
of  Andrew's  attitude  to  confess  Christ;  but  the  effort 
must  be  made  to  have  their  experience  so  deepened  that 
they  will  seek  others  for  Him. 

Prayer. — Divine  Host,  let  me  be  Thy  guest.  May  I 
ever  hear  Thee  saying  to  me,  in  all  my  perplexities  and 
longings  for  deeper  spiritual  blessings,  "Come  and  see," 


44  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY   VII— Christ  Winning  Individuals. 
Second  Day:  Christ  Winning  Nicodemus. 

Nicodemus  presents  a  most  important  type  of  man 
with  whom  to  deal.  He  was  morally  upright,  a  genuine 
man,  and  an  honest  doubter.  He  believed  in  Jesus  as  a 
prophet  (John  ii.  23,  24),  but  not  yet  as  the  Messiah. 
Just  so,  men  will  nowadays  say  they  consider  Christ  a 
good  man,  but  not  the  Son  of  God.  Nicodemus,  how- 
ever, sought  more  light.  He  also  desired  to  see  Jesus. 
(John  iii.  1-2 1.)  His  coming  by  night  may  not  mean 
that  he  shrank  from  the  publicity,  though  that  is  the  im- 
pression received  from  the  record.  Our  reason  for  believ- 
ing that  he  was  sincere  is  the  fact  that  Christ  opened 
His  heart  to  him,  and  led  him  into  the  deep  truths  of 
the  spiritual  life. 

But  note  that  instead  of  talking  about  Himself,  as 
Nicodemus  had  hoped,  Christ  at  once  began  to  talk 
about  Nicodemus.  Not  directly,  and  yet  manifestly,  He 
directed  his  thought  to  the  state  of  the  inner  life  of  the 
man  before  Him,  and  emphasized  the  necessity  of  regen- 
eration for  every  man.  Nicodemus  was  not  born  again, 
and  he  knew  it.  He  did  not  attempt  to  argue  with  Christ, 
but  asked  questions  which  revealed  how  hard  it  is  for  a 
man  of  intellectual  pride  to  become  as  a  little  child  in 
the  presence  of  mystery.  Christ  tells  him  he  can  never 
understand  this  experience,  though  he  may  know  it  to  be 
as  real  as  he  knows  the  movement  of  the  winds,  with  all 
their  strange  manifestations.  Christ  describes  God's  pro- 
vision for  the  salvation  of  men,  and  then  lays  the  respon- 
sibility upon  Nicodemus  in  that  word,  ''whosoever  believ- 
eth."  Nicodemus  believed  Christ  to  be  true  and  genuine. 
Christ  claimed  to  be  the  Saviour  of  men.  On  that  claim 
'men  must  be  tested.  It  was  sufficient  for  Andrew.  It 
is  sufficient  for  Nicodemus.  He  did  not  decide  that  night, 
but  the  seed  was  sown,  and  later  bore  its  precious  fruit. 

Prayer.— O  Son  of  Man,  lifted  up  for  me,  help  me  to 
lift  Thee  up  for  others.  May  I  see  that  the  love  of  God 
which  gave  Thee  to  men  is  worthy  of  my  fullest  faith 
and  allegiance. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  45 

STUDY   Vll—Christ  Winning  Individuals. 
Third  Day:  Christ  Winning  the  Samaritan  Woman, 

A  very  different  character  is  here.  Christ  "must  needs 
go  through  Samaria,"  and  we  may  believe  this  one  soul 
compelled  Him  to  go,  and  the  many  that  would  be  reached 
through  her.  (John  iv.  1-42.)  His  heart  went  out  to 
her,  for  she  needed  Him  and  His  salvation.  Note  how 
He  opened  the  conversation  with  a  request  for  a  drink. 
It  was  contrar}^  to  custom  for  a  Jew  to  speak  to  a 
Samaritan.  She  evidently  felt  His  strong  personality,  and 
must  have  betrayed  something  of  her  thought  in  her  coun- 
tenance, for  He  quickly  presses  home  His  truth  by  an- 
swering her  next  question  with  the  declaration  that  if  she 
knew  who  He  was  she  would  ask  Him  lor  living  water. 
She  was  soon  asking  for  it,  and  then  came  the  searching 
word:  "Go,  call  thy  husband."  She  was  honest  in  her 
reply.  Christ  led  her  to  the  confession  that  He  was  a 
prophet.  She  was  as  far  now  as  Nicodemus  when  he 
came. 

Perhaps  she  could  scarcely  believe  that  salvation  could 
come  to  a  Samaritan  through  a  Jew,  or  perhaps  she 
wanted  to  get  away  from  the  subject  of  her  sin;  but  she 
asked  Jesus  about  the  value  of  the  places  for  worship  in 
her  own  and  His  country.  Then  our  Lord  spoke  those 
wonderful  words  about  true  worship.  She  felt  the  power 
of  God  in  His  truth,  for  she  intimated  that  the  Messiah 
would  talk  as  He  was  talking.  Then  came  that  direct 
reply,  "I  that  speak  to  thee  am  He."  What  a  wondrous 
hour  for  her  soul!  Hastening  home,  she  is  filled  with 
the  same  spirit  as  Andrew,  and  pleads  with  her  friends 
to  "Come,  see  a  man,  which  told  me,  etc. :  is  not  this  the 
Christ?"  She  constrained  them  by  her  new,  changed 
spirit.  They  soon  knew  Him  for  themselves,  as  the 
Saviour  not  only  of  Jews,  but  also  of  Samaritans. 

Prayer. — O  Christ,  I  thank  Thee  that  sinners  in  the 
sight  of  men  are  as  welcome  to  Thee  as  the  moralists  and 
the  respected.  All  have  come  short.  Give  to  me  this 
water  of  life,  that  I  may  never  thirst  again! 


46  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY   VII— Christ  Winning   Individuals. 
Fourth  Day:  Christ  Winning  Peter, 

We  shall  note  in  the  next  Study  how  Andrew  brought 
Peter  to  Jesus.  But  full  allegiance  did  not  come  at  once 
None  of  the  disciples  understood  at  first  the  truth  about 
Jesus.  Some  months  passed  after  Andrew's  work,  when 
Christ  came  to  the  disciples  at  the  sea,  and  called  them 
to  be  His  constant  followers  and  associates.  It  was  after 
the  death  of  John  the  Baptist.  (Matt.  iv.  12-22.)  It  was 
not  a  sudden  thing,  as  some  have  supposed.  There  were 
several  months  of  earnest  discussion  about  Jesus  by  these 
fishermen.  Probably  Jesus  had  several  talks  with  them, 
and  had  explained  everything  they  could  grasp  about  Him- 
self. When  the  final  day  came  to  call  them  to  be  His 
public  followers.  He  asked  them  to  undertake  the  work 
with  the  idea  of  being  ''fishers  of  men."  This  must  have 
been  in  their  minds.  The  same  spirit  that  actuated 
Andrew  and  Philip  must  have  been  stirring  within  them 
to  tell  others  about  Jesus.  When  He  promised  to  help 
them  to  do  this,  they  left  all  and  followed  Him. 

Peter  was  the  leader.  Christ  was  watching  Peter  with 
special  concern.  He  was  a  marvellous  make-up  of  con- 
tradictory qualities.  At  last  the  tv\^elve  had  been  led  to 
the  point  where  Christ  pressed  His  claim  for  a  public 
confession.  (Matt.  xvi.  13-17.)  Again  Christ  approaches 
the  subject  indirectly.  Probably  we  have  the  barest  out- 
line of  the  conversation.  Probably  they  discussed  these 
various  opinions  and  saw  that  none  of  them  could  satisfy 
the  facts.  Then  the  searching  question  was  pressed  home. 
It  was  a  crisis-moment.  The  hearts  of  all  trembled  with 
hesitation  and  desire.  At  last  the  faith  of  Peter  leaped 
over  all  restraint,  and  he  declared  it  in  clear,  strong  words. 
He  voiced  the  faith  of  others,  but  it  was  he  who  did  it. 
What  must  have  been  the  joy  in  the  heart  of  Christ  that 
day!  If  one  man  could  believe  in  Him,  then  the  race 
could  and  would. 

Prayer. — I  would  be  a  fisher  of  men,  O  Christ.  Help 
me  to  become  such  with  Peter's  power.  May  I  not  hesi- 
tate to  confess  .Thee  openly  and  always. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  47 


STUDY   VII— Christ   Winning   Individuals. 
Fifth  Day:  Christ  Winning  Zacchaus, 

In  the  person  of  Zacchaeus  the  pubh'can  we  have  still 
a  different  type  of  man.  (Luke  xix.  i-io.)  He  was  of 
a  hated  class.  To  call  him  meant  that  Christ  must  in- 
volve Himself  in  the  prejudices  of  the  people.  He  was 
rich,  and  not  by  honest  means  alone.  But  there  was  the 
making  of  a  true  man  in  him,  as  there  always  is  in  every 
man,  whatever  his  station  and  state.  How  much  he  had 
heard  of  Christ  we  do  not  know.  But  we  have  reason  to 
believe  it  was  more  than  curiosity  which  prompted  him 
to  see  Jesus,  because  of  the  character  of  what  Jesus  said 
to  him.  He  must  have  desired  in  his  heart  to  know  Jesus 
personally,  or  Jesus  would  scarcely  have  declared  His 
purpose  to  go  to  his  house.  It  could  not  have  been  pos- 
sible for  Christ  to  fail  to  see  Zacchaeus,  for  He  could 
never  overlook  any  man  with  such  a  desire.  Zacchaeus 
had  said  in  his  heart,  I  must  see  Jesus,  and  Jesus  re- 
sponded to  that:  "I  must  abide  at  thy  house."  Note 
those  tvvo  ''musts."  When  the  faith  of  man  says  *'I 
must,"  then  the  love  of  God  says  "I  must." 

Christ  faced  the  prejudices  of  the  people  unmoved  In 
His  work  of  saving  this  man.  He  had  chosen  Zacchaeus 
and  nothing  would  affect  His  relation  to  him.  That  fact, 
made  so  apparent,  touched  the  inmost  soul  of  the  man, 
and,  with  a  confession  which  ought  to  have  silenced  the 
murmuring,  he  declared  his  purpose  to  prove  his  new 
friendship  to  Christ  genuine.  Would  that  men  of  wealth 
to-day  might  hear  the  words  of  Christ  with  like  result! 
There  was  no  reservation  in  the  heart  of  Zacchasus,  and 
therefore  Christ's  assurance  of  salvation  was  spoken,  not 
so  much,  however,  that  the  man  might  hear  it,  as  that 
the  people  might  be  impressed.  Hence  also  those  added 
words  of  blessed  hope  for  men,  'Tor  the  Son  of  Man 
came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost."  Christ 
will  abide  in  any  man's  house  who  desires  Him. 

Prayer. — Thou  art  as  ready  to  save  the  saloon-keeper 
as  the  banker,  dear  Lord.  Help  me  to  be  as  ready  to 
strive  for  the  one  as  the  other. 


48  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY   VII— Christ  Winning  Individuals. 
Sixth  Day:  Christ  JVinning  Paul, 

Paul  was  not  a  bad  man,  but  a  terribly  misguided  man. 
No  one  who  can  say  he  has  always  ''lived  in  good  con- 
science" can  be  bad  at  heart.  (Acts  xxiii.  i.)  Paul  verily 
thought  he  was  doing  God's  service  in  persecuting  the 
Christians,  but  he  did  it  ignorantly  in  unbelief.  The 
sermon  of  Stephen  made  a  powerful  impression  on  Paul. 
He  became  restless  after  that,  and  it  was  hard  for  him 
"to  kick  against  the  pricks"  of  his  conscience.  But  he 
needed  something  more  than  the  quiet  experience  of 
Andrew  before  he  could  be  turned  to  Christ.  He  was 
too  deeply  grounded  in  prejudice,  and  too  thoroughly  com- 
mitted to  his  course  of  persecution,  to  give  up  easily.  Yet 
his  honest  heart  desired  to  be  right,  and  he  was  also 
brought  to  see  Jesus.  The  vision  touched  him  deeply, 
(Acts  ix.  1-22.) 

Note  the  directness  of  the  charge  which  convicted 
Paul.  He  was  hurting  Christ.  No  man  can  hurt  any 
one  for  whom  Christ  died  w^ithout  also  hurting  Christ. 
It  is  a  truth  to  be  pressed  home  often,  when  men  are 
exerting  an  influence  against  the  cause  of  Christ.  Paul 
was  stunned.  His  purpose  was  arrested.  He  sought  to 
know  the  will  of  the  Lord.  For  three  days  he  sat  in  the 
darkness  of  his  own  thought,  thinking,  thinking!  Then, 
"behold!  he  prayeth,"  and  he  was  ready  for  the  messen- 
ger from  Christ,  and  Ananias  went,  his  hesitation  hav- 
ing been  overcome,  to  say  "brother  Saul."  Christ  counted 
him  "a  chosen  vessel,"  and  yet  it  was  to  suffer  great 
things  for  His  sake,  as  w^ell  as  to  achieve  great  things 
for  His  cause.  No  other  man,  as  men  judge,  did  as  much 
for  Christianity  as  the  apostle  Paul.  He  was  hard  to 
win,  but  once  won  he  w^as  faithful  unto  death.  Christ 
will  speak  to  such  men  through  the  inspired  record  of 
His  dealings  with  Paul.  We  cannot  do  better  than  try 
to  persuade  them  to  read  it  earnestly. 

Prayer. — Forgive,  O  Lord,  wherein  I  am  hurting 
Thee.  Oh,  help  me  to  guard  my  influence  so  that  it  may 
never  be  hurtful,  but  ever  helpful. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  49 

STUDY   VII— Christ  Winning  Individuals. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class, 

These  instances  of  Christ's  work  are  selected,  not 
merely  to  illustrate  His  spirit  and  methods,  but  also  to 
quicken  in  us  more  of  His  longing  for  souls.  We  see 
how  He  was  no  respecter  of  persons,  and  how  His  love 
for  all  men  was  revealed  in  the  thirst  for  every  soul  He 
could  reach  and  help  and  save. 

1.  How  would  you  describe  the  attitude  of  Andrew 
toward  Christ?  What  explained  it?  How  did  Christ 
deal  with  him?  What  was  Christ's  desire  for  Andrew? 
How  thorough-going  is  your  conversion? 

2.  How  would  you  describe  the  attitude  of  NIcodemus 
toward  Christ?  What  explained  it?  pTow  did  Christ 
deal  with  him?  Was  the  result  immediate?  What  was 
in  the  way  ?    What  lesson  do  we  learn  in  this  experience  ? 

3.  How  would  you  describe  the  attitude  of  the  Samari- 
tan woman  toward  Christ?  What  explained  it?  How 
did  Christ  deal  w^ith  her?  What  was  the  result?  What 
effect  did  this  experience  have  on  the  disciples? 

4.  How  would  you  describe  the  attitude  of  Peter  tow- 
ard Christ?  What  explained  it?  How  did  Christ  deal 
with  him?  Describe  the  importance  of  Peter's  conver- 
sion In  its  relation  to  the  Christian  Church. 

5.  How  would  you  describe  the  attitude  of  Zacchaeus 
toward  Christ?  What  explained  it?  How  did  Christ 
deal  with  him?  What  proof  did  Zacchseus  give  of  the 
character  of  his  conversion  ?  What  effect  did  this  Incident 
have  upon  the  people? 

6.  How  would  you  describe  the  attitude  of  Paul 
toward  Christ?  What  explained  it?  How  did  Christ 
deal  with  him?  Why  was  such  treatment  necessary? 
What  was  the  evidence  of  Paul's  sincerity?  How  im- 
portant was  the  life-work  of  the  apostle  Paul? 

Prayer. — O  Thou  who  didst  come  to  seek  and  to  save 
the  lost,  continue  through  me  Thy  work.  Help  me  to 
win  individuals  to  Thee.  Help  me  to  become  a  success- 
ful fisher  of  men. 


JO  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY    VIII— .The   Disciples   Winning 
Individuals. 

First  Day:  Andrew  Winning  Peter. 

The  record  given  us  of  Andrew  is  brief;  but  it  Is  one 
of  the  most  suggestive  in  the  Scriptures.  (John  i.  35-42.) 
He  was  the  first  follower  of  Jesus,  and  the  first  winner 
of  men  to  Christ.  To  be  first  in  these  two  things  is  to 
be  signalized  for  all  time  in  the  annals  of  Christian  his- 
tory. The  interest  in  the  record  increases  when  we  note 
the  man  whom  Andrew  brought  to  Christ,  even  Simon 
Peter,  the  great  apostle,  the  leader  of  the  Twelve.  Peter 
was  among  the  disciples  of  John  the  Baptist,  but  evi- 
dently he  was  more  slow  to  respond  to  the  message  of 
John  than  was  Andrew.  We  may  be  very  sure  that 
when  Andrew  spoke  to  Peter  he  reported  the  actual  ex- 
perience he  himself  had  in  fellowship  with  Jesus,  which 
had  convinced  him  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ.  Peter  could 
not  resist  this,  for  he  knew  Andrew. 

Three  words  in  this  brief  passage  shine  out  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Gospel — **He  brought  him."  Personal 
work  for  individual  men!  The  expression  first  points  us 
to  the  worker,  and  then  to  the  individual.  The  character 
of  Andrew  was  such  as  to  lead  him  to  seek  Christ  with 
earnest  heart,  for  his  own  sake.  Then  he  was  anxious 
to  bring  others  to  his  Lord,  The  winner  of  men  must 
have  these  qualifications  if  he  would  have  Andrew's  suc- 
cess. Three  times  we  hear  of  Andrew,  and  each  time  he 
is  bringing  individuals  to  Christ.  (John  vi.  8  and  xii.  22.) 
He  was  not  a  conspicuous  leader,  but  he  was  seeking  some 
one  whom  he  might  bring  to  Christ.  As  the  mighty 
Peter  at  Pentecost  and  elsewhere  revealed  the  power  of 
a  great  leader,  let  us  remember  Andrew,  the  forgotten 
brother,  whose  faithful  service  was  a  link  in  the  chain  of 
influence  which  brought  such  blessed  results.  Could  it 
be  said  of  you  regarding  one  immortal-  life — "He  brought 
him  to  Christ"? 

Prayer. — We  are  Thy  witnesses,  O  Christ.  Let  us 
first  know  Thee  truly.  Then  help  us  ever  to  be  seeking 
to  bring  one  and  another  to  Thee. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  51 


STUDY    VIII— The    Disciples   Winning 
Individuals. 

Second  Day:  Philip  Winning  the  Ethiopian, 

This  Philip  was  not  one  of  the  Twelve.  (Acts  vi.  i-6.) 
He  was  only  a  layman,  as  we  would  now  say.  But  his 
record  teaches  two  most  important  lessons:  first,  that 
every  Christian  is  equally  responsible  with  every  other 
Christian  for  the  winning  of  men ;  and,  second,  that  God 
gives  His  power  to  a  layman  as  quickly  and  as  fully  as 
to  an  ordained  minister.  (Acts  viii.  4-8  and  26-40.)  The 
ordination  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  only  sufficient  ordi- 
nation. When  Philip  won  the  Ethiopian  to  Christ,  his 
prompting  by  the  Holy  Spirit  was  just  the  kind  of  prompt- 
ing which  the  Spirit  gives  to  us  at  times.  But  not  often 
is  the  record  of  us — "he  ran  thither."  The  zeal  of  Philip 
must  not  be  overlooked.  His  earnest  spirit  put  some- 
thing winsome  into  his  voice  when  he  spoke.  The  very 
tone  of  voice  is  an  index  of  sincerity. 

The  Ethiopian  was  an  honest  seeker  after  truth.  He 
was  a  Jewish  convert  who  had  no  opportunity  of  being 
greatly  influenced  by  Jewish  traditions,  and  so  was  read- 
ing the  prophet  Isaiah  with  an  open  mind.  How  pathetic 
the  situation !  His  very  tone  betrayed  his  ''feeling  after" 
the  truth,  and  led  to  Philip's  question — "Understandest 
thou?"  Would  that  the  Church  of  Christ  might  hear 
the  cry  of  that  needy  soul — "How  can  I,  except  some 
man  should  guide  me!"  The  w^ay  was  open,  and  Philip 
"preached  unto  him  Jesus."  Study  Isaiah  liii.,  and  you 
will  know  what  Philip  preached.  It  must  be  the  heart 
of  the  preaching  of  Jesus  for  all  time.  Note  the  simple 
confession  of  faith  which  Philip  considered  sufficient. 
He  saw  the  spirit  of  the  man's  faith  to  be  genuine,  and 
he  was  sure  the  letter  of  it  would  not  need  to  be  elabo- 
rate. To  live  a  short  creed  is  better  than  to  learn  a  long 
one,  perfectly  recited,  if  it  be  denied  in  the  life. 

Prayer. — Spirit  of  God,  guide  me  so  that  I  may  guide 
men.  Let  me  be  alert  to  hear  Thy  command  to  run  and 
speak  for  Thee.  Help  me  to  live  so  that  I  may  find  men 
responsive  to  my  approach. 


52 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY    VIII— The    Disciples   Winning 
Individuals. 

Third  Day:  Peter  Winning  Cornelius, 

After  Peter  had  been  convinced  that  God  desired  him 
to  go  to  Cornelius,  his  only  problem  was  how  to  help  this 
Gentile.  (Acts  x.)  As  he  journeyed,  he  wondered. 
What  could  it  mean?  He,  the  leading  apostle,  had  been 
given  a  remarkable  vision;  but,  more  remarkable  still,  a 
Gentile  had  been  given  communication  with  an  angel! 
But  an  angel  could  not  do  the  work  of  men.  God  hath 
chosen  by  the  preaching  of  men  to  save  the  world.  The 
heart  of  Cornelius  was  cleansed  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
because  of  his  honest  repentance  and  earnest  effort  to  be 
faithful  to  his  light  (v.  15);  yet  he  had  not  sufficient 
light  to  know  Christ,  except  the  Gospel  be  brought  to 
him.     So  is  it  with  every  man,  however  noble  his  life. 

Peter's  work  was  not  difficult  here,  but  it  was  neces- 
sary. Persuasion  was  not  needed,  but  more  light  on  the 
path  of  duty.  His  listeners  drank  in  his  words  with 
leaping  hearts.  It  was  a  moment  such  as  explains  the 
joy  of  heaven,  and  while  Peter  preached,  "the  Holy 
Ghost  fell  on  all  them  which  heard  the  word."  They 
magnified  God,  and  were  baptized.  Naturally  they  plead 
with  Peter  to  tarry  some  days  longer.  They  were  hun- 
gry for  the  bread  of  life.  We  cannot  doubt  that  during 
those  days  others  were  sought  out  and  won  to  the  new 
faith.  How  thankful  was  Peter  that  he  had  overcome 
his  hesitation,  and  had  broken  his  old  prejudices,  in  being 
obedient  to  the  heavenly  vision!  Some  men  who  have 
not  been  accustomed  to  attend  the  services  of  the  Church 
will  sometimes  reveal  a  quality  of  life  akin  to  that  of 
Cornelius.  The  Spirit  prompts  us  to  go  and  speak  to 
them.  Let  us  learn  to  accept  all  opportunities  which 
invite  this  effort.  They  will  be  ready  to  receive  us  be- 
yond what  we  suppose. 

Prayer. — I  thank  Thee,  Lord,  for  Thy  great  love  for 
men.    Help  me  to  realize  that  the  best  of  men  need  Christ. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  53 


STUDY    VIII— The    Disciples    Winning 
Individuals. 

Fourth  Day;  Aquila  Winning  A  polios. 

In  Acts  xviii.  24-xix.  7  we  have  another  glimpse  at 
personal  work,  which  sets  forth  most  important  teach- 
ings. We  sometimes  hear  it  said  that  if  one  be  honest  in 
his  belief,  that  is  all  that  is  necessary.  This  is  not  true. 
Cornelius  was  thoroughly  honest  in  his  belief,  but  he 
needed  Christ,  and  needed  an  intelligent  faith  in  Christ 
in  order  to  appropriate  Christ.  So  Apollos  was  both 
honest  and  earnest,  but  he  knew  only  the  baptism  of  John. 
He  was  even  "an  eloquent  man,  and  mighty  in  the  Scrip- 
tures," and  was  doing  his  best;  but  "this  is  eternal  life," 
to  "know,"  and  Apollos  did  not  yet  know  the  way  to  God 
as  he  should.  People  will  talk  of  the  sending  of  mis- 
sionaries to  the  devotees  of  other  faiths,  and  will  assert 
that  it  is  folly  to  do  this,  yet  they  do  not  know  the  will 
of  God,  or  they  have  no  concern  about  doing  it.  Surel)'", 
if  Apollos  needed  the  Gospel,  all  men  who  are  out  of 
Christ  need  His  Gospel. 

Apollos  needed  to  know  "the  way  of  God  more  per- 
fectly." Aquila  and  his  wife  probably  had  no  such 
natural  gifts  as  Apollos;  but  they  knew  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  better  than  he.  He  had  never  heard  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  preaching  of  John  he  knew,  but  the  world 
needed  more  than  that.  Aquila  felt  the  lack  in  this 
eloquent  man.  Alas!  how  many  eloquent  men,  who  can 
quote  Scripture  glibly,  do  not  know  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  have  never  received  His  power!  Out  of  the  ranks 
of  the  earnest  Christian  workers  Aquila  appears  for  a 
moment  to  teach  the  Church  of  Christ  one  of  its  most 
important  lessons.  The  gifts  of  men  are  not  to  be  de- 
spised, but  rather  cultivated  to  their  fullest  capacities; 
yet  without  the  gift  of  God's  power  they  are  but  as 
"sounding  brass  or  a  tinkling  cymbal." 

Prayer. — Teach  me  Thy  way  more  perfectly,  O  God. 
May  I  realize  that  until  I  have  learned  this,  it  will  not 
avail  to  be  eloquent  in  speech.  Baptize  me  with  Thy 
Spirit  of  power. 


54 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY    VIII— The    Disciples   Winning 
Individuals. 

Fifth  Day:  Paul  Winning  Lydia  and  the  Jailer. 

Out  of  the  many  whom  Paul  won  to  Christ,  these  two 
are  mentioned  here  because  they  are  the  trophies  of  his 
first  work  in  Europe,  by  the  grace  of  God.  A  woman 
and  a  jailer!  (Acts  xvi.  14,  15,  22-34.)  They  were 
counted  on  about  the  same  level  then,  though  the  jailer 
would  be  considered  the  more  important  of  the  two. 
Paul  had  not  only  learned  that  God  w^as  not  calling 
"many  mighty"  at  first,  but  also  that  the  soul  of  a  sales- 
woman was  as  precious  in  the  sight  of  heaven  as  that  of 
a  queen.  He  would  preach  Christ  to  anyone  who  would 
listen,  and  the  first  one  was  this  woman.  We  read  that 
God  opened  her  heart.  This  was  not  in  spite  of  her 
desire,  but  because,  like  Cornelius,  she  had  been  honestly 
striving  toward  the  light.  Paul's  words  were  bread  to 
her  hungry  soul.  Who  that  measures  the  value  of  a 
Christian  home  and  Christian  womanhood  can  fail  to 
appreciate  the  far-reaching  import  of  this  conversion? 

The  case  of  the  jailer  is  more  striking.  During  many 
days  the  damsel  (xv.  17,  18)  had  declared  Paul  and  Silas 
to  be  showing  the  way  of  salvation.  He  must  have  heard 
of  this,  probably  had  seen  them;  but  now  he  receives 
Paul  as  an  apparent  criminal,  suffering  from  stripes,  and 
sorely  persecuted.  Many  Christians  never  dream  of  being 
on  the  watch  for  souls  when  the  time  of  persecution  comes. 
But  from  that  inner  prison  came  prayers  and  praises  which 
were  heard.  Then  the  earthquake.  Then  the  stricken 
conscience  of  the  jailer.  Then  that  most  urgent  cry  of 
every  needy  soul — "What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?"  Then 
the  one  only  answer — "Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ!" 
Paul  explained  what  this  meant,  and  they  accepted  Christ. 
It  was  the  beginning  of  Christian  Europe. 

Prayer. — For  Christian  ancestry,  O  God  of  the  nations, 
I  thank  Thee.  Unto  whom  Thou  hast  given,  of  them 
Thou  dost  expect.  Help  me  to  be  faithful,  so  that  some 
one  coming  after  may  be  thankful  for  my  life. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  55 


STUDY    VIII— The    Disciples   Winning 
Individuals. 

Sixth  Day:  Paul  Winning  Onesimus, 

The  short  letter  of  Paul  to  Philemon  is  one  of  the 
gems  of  all  literature.  Its  setting  gives  it  beauty  and 
power.  Its  Gospel  of  salvation  must  give  hope  to  those 
who  doubt  that  Christ  can  save  to  the  uttermost  all  who 
come  unto  God  by  Him.  Onesimus  was  a  slave  of  Phile- 
mon who  ran  away,  drifted  to  Rome,  and  was  converted 
under  Paul.  The  law  required  a  man  who  found  a  slave 
to  return  him.  The  fact  that  Onesimus  was  willing  to 
go  back  reveals  the  thoroughness  of  his  conversion.  But 
the  law  allowed  a  friend  to  intercede  for  a  slave,  and 
even  gave  him  a  right  to  buy  the  slave,  if  the  master 
would  not  allow  the  slave  to  earn  his  freedom.  These 
points  appear  in  the  letter.  Paul  gives  reasons  why 
Philemon  should  set  Onesimus  free,  yet  he  does  not  actu- 
ally ask  this.  But  he  takes  care  to  assert  his  right,  as  he 
says  he  w^ill  pay  anything  Onesimus  may  owe. 

Now  read  the  letter  in  the  light  of  this  setting.  The 
great  lesson  is  that  Paul  is  as  much  concerned  for  this 
runaway  slave  as  he  would  be  for  a  king.  He  saw  the 
possible  Christ  there,  as  fully  as  in  the  wealthy  Philemon. 
We  also  see  how  Paul  must  have  taught  restitution  to 
the  new  convert.  Many  a  man  hesitates  to  become  a 
Christian  because  of  what  he  knows  he  should  do  as  a 
Christian.  Onesimus  faced  this,  and  yet  confessed  Christ. 
Paul  would  not  make  it  easy  for  Onesimus  to  become  a 
Christian,  if  something  hard  must  be  done  first.  Paul 
knew  nothing  could  be  better  for  the  spiritual  life  of 
Onesimus  than  to  go  back  to  his  master,  and  obey  the 
law.  Yet  he  plead  for  mercy  with  Philemon.  How  the 
love  of  Christ  throbs  in  it  all!  It  is  the  Gospel  of  the 
delivery  from  the  slavery  of  sin  through  Him  who  has 
paid  the  price  of  our  ransom  with  His  own  blood. 

Prayer. — Divine  Redeemer,  oh,  let  me  realize  that  I 
am  not  my  own,  but  am  bought  with  a  price,  and  that 
I  am  debtor  to  every  man. 


56  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY    VIII— The    Disciples   Winning 
Individuals. 

Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class. 

This  Study  has  touched  upon  method  only  incidentally. 
The  main  purpose  is  to  see  the  picture  of  the  activity  of 
the  early  Christians,  whose  fidelity  explained  the  progress 
of  the  cause  of  Christ.  It  is  an  inspiration  to  the  com- 
ing generations  thus  to  see  the  spirit  of  the  personal 
worker  anxious  and  earnest  in  striving  to  win  individuals. 

1.  What  is  Andrew's  distinction  among  Christians? 
What  qualities  of  character  did  he  reveal?  What  opin- 
ion concerning  his  life  is  justified  by  the  few  glimpses 
given  us? 

2.  What  was  Philip,  as  a  Christian  worker?  What 
most  important  lesson  does  this  fact  teach  us?  What 
sign  of  his  zeal  is  given  in  the  record?  What  did  he 
preach  about  Jesus? 

3.  What  kind  of  a  man  was  Cornelius?  Why  did  he 
need  Christ?  What  does  Peter's  readiness  to  go  to  Cor^ 
nellus  teach  us? 

4.  What  kind  of  a  man  was  Apollos?  What  more 
did  he  need?  Have  you  a  friend  of  culture  and  refine^ 
ment  who  is  not  a  Christian  ?  What  is  your  duty  toward 
that  friend?    Will  you  be  faithful  to  that  duty? 

5.  What  does  it  mean  for  us  that  Paul  went  to  Europe? 
(Answer  out  of  general  information.)  What  was  sig- 
nificant in  the  conversion  of  Lydia?  What  does  Paul's 
experience  which  brought  him  into  the  jail  at  Phlllppi 
teach  us  about  Christian  service?  What  great  question 
is  asked  here?  What  does  the  answer  mean?  (Previous 
Studies  tell  us.) 

6.  What  were  the  facts  about  Oneslmus  which  led 
Paul  to  write  this  letter  to  Philemon?  What  is  Paul's 
ground  for  his  plea  that  Oneslmus  should  be  set  free? 
How  does  this  letter  set  forth  the  Gospel?  Is  there  some 
Oneslmus  waiting  for  your  help? 

Prayer. — As  Thy  servants  began  to  serve  Thee  by 
seeking  to  win  their  brethren  and  fellow-men,  so  help 
me  to  do,  O  Lord.     May  I  not  be  a  fruitless  servant. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  57 

STUDY   IX— Ways   of   Personal   Work. 
First  Day:  Striving  to  Win  Individuals. 

Almost  everything  heretofore  written  suggests  this  way 
of  work.  It  is  the  most  important  for  every  Christian. 
The  purpose  in  bringing  it  to  the  attention  here  is  to 
urge  every  reader  of  the  book  to  begin  this  effort  to  win 
an  individual  to  Christ.  Read  Daniel  xii.  3.  It  is  not 
intended  to  attempt  any  further  evidence  of  the  duty  or 
privilege  of  this  work.  No  honest  Christian  can  doubt 
either.  Will  you  attempt  your  duty?  Face  careful!"" 
this  question — Who  is  the  first  person  whom  I  ought  to 
try  to  win  to  Christ?  Turn  to  Study  X,  and  read  it 
through.  In  some  one  of  the  classes  suggested  you  can- 
not fail  to  find  some  one  who  touches  your  life  who  is 
not  a  Christian.  Decide  upon  the  individual  definitely. 
Then  turn  to  Matthew  xxviii.  19,  20,  and  especially  note 
Christ's  promise  to  be  with  you  in  your  attempt.  Then 
proceed  with  the  succeeding  Studies,  having  that  particu- 
lar individual  in  mind. 

Do  more  than  this.  Go  to  your  minister  and  tell  him 
of  your  purpose.  If  5^ou  are  willing,  tell  him  the  name 
of  the  individual  whom  you  are  seeking  to  reach.  Make 
a  covenant  of  prayer  with  him.  Suggest  the  helpfulness 
of  a  Praj^er  Circle  among  a  few  fellovz-Christians  of  like 
earnestness.  Begin  with  a  small  Prayer  Circle.  Con- 
sider the  other  ways  of  working  mentioned  in  this  Study, 
and  plan  to  do  as  much  in  them  as  possible.  This  is  the 
main  business  of  the  Christian  in  this  world.  Will  you 
enter  into  it  in  earnest?  Are  you  willing  to  go  empty- 
handed  into  the  presence  of  God  to  give  your  account? 
May  the  constraining  love  of  Christ  compel  you  as  it  did 
Paul.  (2  Cor.  v.  14-21.)  May  the  burden  of  souls  come 
upon  your  heart  until  it  will  drive  you  to  God  for  His 
blessing  and  help!  To  win  one  immortal  soul  to  Jesus 
Christ  will  put  a  value  into  your  life  which  nothing  else 
you  may  do  can  give  it. 

Prayer. — Thou  hast  given  Thy  life  for  me,  O  Christ. 
Let  me  give  my  life  for  Thee.  Oh,  let  me  not  be  satis- 
fied to  live  for  self.    Give  me  the  burden  of  souls. 


jS  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY   IX— Ways   of   Personal   Work. 
Second  Day:  Teaching  in  the  Sunday-school, 

The  Bible  is  the  only  Scripture  which  has  a  distinctive 
place  for  the  child.  This  fact  alone  betrays  a  fatal  lack 
in  the  sacred  writings  of  all  other  religious  teachings. 
There  is  evident  purpose  in  giving  us  the  record  of  the 
childhood  of  Samuel,  (i  Sam.  ii.  26  and  iii.  l-io.)  It 
is  clearly  intended  to  emphasize  the  appreciation  we 
should  have  of  the  capacity  of  the  child,  a  fact  too  often 
forgotten.  God's  thought  of  Samuel  is  a  picture  of  God's 
thought  for  every  child. 

It  is  a  law  of  the  land  that  no  child  under  seven  years 
of  age  can  commit  a  crime.  The  law  judges  that  moral 
responsibility  is  not  adequately  developed  before  that  age. 
Between  the  ages  of  seven  and  fourteen  exceptional  cases 
are  recognized.  Children  from  eight  to  fourteen  are  in 
our  reformatories.  But  at  fourteen  a  boy  or  girl  is  fully 
amenable  to  law,  and  pronounced  morally  responsible. 
These  laws  are  the  result  of  a  widespread  study  of  the 
capacity  and  maturity  of  the  child.  Therefore  the  law 
allows  a  child  at  fourteen  to  choose  a  guardian  for  life. 
But  therefore  it  is  perfectly  evident  that  this  maturity  in 
the  child  makes  him  competent  intelligently  to  make  a 
life-choice  of  Jesus  Christ. 

We  must  save  the  child.  Do  this,  and  all  our  problems 
are  solved.  The  Sunday-school  is  the  greatest  of  all 
training  schools  for  personal  workers.  There  is  no  better 
place  for  an  earnest  follower  of  Christ  to  begin  the  task 
of  striving  to  win  individuals  to  Him.  Helps  for  this 
work  are  abundant.  Opportunities  are  many.  The  need 
of  teachers  is  great  and  constant.  All  kinds  of  classes 
are  available  for  all  kinds  of  workers.  It  is  a  fine  school 
in  which  to  learn  self-mastery  and  cultivate  the  gifts  for 
effective  putting  of  the  truth.  Here  is  a  field  ripe  to  the 
harvest.     Enter  in.     Make  the  beginning  here. 

Prayer. — Give  me  the  spirit  of  a  little  child.  Help 
me  to  be  ready  to  tell  the  story  of  Thy  love  to  the  chil- 
dren, trusting  Thee  to  help  me  in  the  work.  Let  me  not 
shrink  from  the  responsibility  of  souls. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


59 


STUDY   IX— Ways   of   Personal   Work. 
Third  Day:  Witnessing  in  Religious  Meetings. 

There  are  those  who  hesitate  to  speak  privately  to  an 
individual  who  find  it  less  difficult  to  speak  in  a  public 
gathering.  Others  will  consider  it  impossible  to  address 
an  assembled  company.  They  decide  that  the  Lord  did 
not  endow  them  with  the  special  gift  of  public  speech  or 
public  prayer,  and  complacently  dismiss  the  thought  of 
attempting  to  witness  thus  for  Christ.  This  is  a  mis- 
take. This  was  the  attitude  of  Moses,  but  God  would 
not  accept  it.  Read  again  Exodus  iv.  10-17.  The  writer 
knows  a  strong  man  who  was  called  upon  to  oflEer  prayer 
at  a  mid-week  service,  and  who  bravely  made  the  attempt, 
but  actually  fainted  in  doing  so.  After  such  an  experi- 
ence the  vast  majority  of  men  would  decide  never  to 
attempt  public  prayer  again.  Not  so  this  man.  After 
the  meeting  he  went  to  his  pastor  and  said:  **When  you 
think  I  ought  to  try  this  again,  call  on  me,  and  I  will 
try."  His  own  victory  was  worth  more  in  the  develop- 
ment of  his  spiritual  life  than  can  be  estimated. 

Incidents  could  be  multiplied  to  show  how  helpful 
one's  testimony  in  public  has  been.  Once  in  the  writer's 
presence  a  young  man  arose  in  a  meeting  and  made  a 
brief,  earnest  statement  concerning  his  faith  and  hope  in 
Christ.  A  young  lady,  at  the  close  of  the  meeting,  said 
that  statement  had  influenced  her  to  make  the  decision  to 
become  a  Christian.  Such  w^itnesslng  ever  brings  a  bless- 
ing In  return  to  the  one  who  speaks  or  prays.  The  two 
requisites  for  the  best  results  in  this  service  are  careful 
preparation  and  brief  participation.  Encourage  those  who 
speak,  when  their  words  are  helpful,  by  saying  so  to  them. 
Help  to  make  the  atmosphere  of  the  meeting  sympathetic 
and  inspiring.  Such  meetings  will  furnish  bread  to  hun- 
gry souls  and  strength  to  many  burdened  hearts. 

Prayer. — Thou  hast  charged  me  to  be  Thy  witness, 
dear  Lord.  May  I  not  only  believe  with  the  heart,  but 
also  confess  with  the  mouth,  and  strive  to  say  the  word 
in  season  which  will  be  helpful  to  others. 


6o  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY   IX— Ways  of   Personal  Work. 
Fourth  Day:  Writing  Letters, 

This  method  of  personal  work  may  be  made  a  great 
means  of  grace  which  every  Christian  may  cultivate. 
Read  again  Paul's  personal  letter  to  Philemon,  and  John's 
personal  letter  to  Gaius.  (3  John.)  It  is  known  that 
Phillips  Brooks  practised  this  method  of  reaching  men 
with  most  helpful  results.  Sometimes  a  letter  may  be  a 
better  means  of  communication  than  conversation.  The 
letter  enables  the  writer  to  make  a  full  statement  without 
interruption,  and  one  is  very  likely  to  ponder  its  contents 
somewhat  before  replying.  On  the  other  hand,  we  must 
not  yield  to  the  temptation  to  write  instead  of  speaking 
because  it  would  seem  to  be  easier,  except  as  we  would 
make  the  letter  the  occasion  for  a  conversation.  Many 
times  the  letter  will  be  an  excellent  way  of  securing  a 
personal  appointment,  when  the  meeting  will  be  all  the 
more  successful  because  of  the  thoughtful  hours  occasioned 
by  the  correspondence. 

Christians  generally  have  not  emphasized  or  utilized 
the  written  or  printed  page  as  a  means  of  influencing 
their  friends  for  Christ.  Some  pastors  and  Christian 
leaders  have  made  them  most  effective.  But  the  indi- 
vidual should  utilize  them  more  frequently.  Do  you 
know  of  a  friend  to  whom  you  have  hesitated  to  speak, 
and  to  whom  you  might  write?  If  so,  plan  at  once  to 
write.  Consider  with  care  and  prayer  the  message  to  be 
written.  Do  not  be  so  concerned  about  the  finish  of  the 
rhetoric,  but  let  it  throb  with  the  earnestness  of  a  true 
friend.  Let  it  breathe  loving  sympathy,  and  the  spirit  of 
Studies  VI  and  XII.  Follow  it  with  daily  prayer. 
Study  the  answer  to  find  something  which  will  justify 
a  second  letter,  should  it  be  needed.  Be  sure  that  God 
will  bless  the  effort,  and  expect  blessings  to  result.  Your 
own  life  will  be  greatly  enriched  by  such  expressions  of 
the  thoughts  and  desires  of  your  heart. 

Prayer. — Thou  wouldst  have  us  to  be  all  things  to  all 
men,  if  by  anj^  means  we  may  win  some.  Help  us  in  this 
way  of  working  for  Thee  to  learn  skill  and  efficiency. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  6i 

STUDY   IX— Ways   of   Personal   Work. 
Fifth  Day:  The  Work  of  Prayer  Circles. 

In  that  upper  room  at  Jerusalem  we  have  the  picture 
of  the  first  Prayer  Circle  of  Christian  workers.  (Acts 
i.  13,  14,  and  li.  1-4.)  Christ  had  commanded  them  thus 
to  tarry  for  the  gift  of  power  from  God  (I.  4-6).  It  is 
vital  to  the  individual  that  he  have  his  quiet  hour  alone 
with  the  Lord;  but  it  is  vital  to  the  Christian  company 
that  the  Prayer  Circle  be  established  and  cultivated.  The 
religious  conferences  which  characterize  our  time,  having 
for  their  end  the  deepening  of  the  spiritual  life,  demon- 
strate the  helpfulness,  not  to  say  the  necessity  of  a  custom 
which  will  draw  individual  workers  together  for  con- 
ference and  prayer  regarding  the  Master's  work. 

The  special  thought  in  this  reading  is  regarding  a 
Circle  of  Prayer  which  shall  be  formed  by  a  few  earnest 
workers  in  the  Church,  or  Association,  or  Sunday-school, 
who  are  striving  to  be  effective  in  winning  individuals 
to  Christ,  and  who  are  anxious  to  stimulate  a  growing 
desire  for  spiritual  activity  among  their  fellow-Christians. 
Such  a  Circle  should  aim  for  two  things:  first,  to  draw 
into  Its  number  other  Christians;  and,  second,  to  be 
mutually  helpful  In  planning  and  attempting  definite 
Christian  work.  Only  those  who  are  in  full  sympathy 
should  become  members  of  this  Circle.  It  will  be  far 
more  effective,  if  small,  and  every  member  consecrated, 
than  if  large,  with  some  hesitant  or  lukewarm.  It  must 
be  a  Circle  where  complete  confidence  marks  the  confer- 
ences, for  to  do  its  best  work  two  or  more  must  agree 
concerning  the  subjects  discussed.  The  power  which  may 
be  developed  by  this  way  of  working  cannot  be  estimated. 
It  has  never  been  utilized  as  It  should.  The  first  Chris- 
tians needed  that  upper-room  meeting.  Just  as  surely  do 
we  need  such  meetings. 

Prayer. — ^Thy  promise  is  to  meet  with  two  or  three 
gathered  In  Thy  name,  dear  Master.  Inspire  Thy  chil- 
dren to  cultivate  this  privilege  of  securing  the  strength 
which  comes  from  union  in  conference  and  prayer. 


62  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY   IX— Ways  of   Personal   Work. 
Sixth  Day:  Helping  Others  to  JVork. 

That  is  a  most  suggestive  record  which  tells  us  how 
Barnabas  sought  out  young  Saul  of  Tarsus  and  per- 
suaded him  to  begin  a  more  aggressive  service  for  Christ. 
(Acts  xi.  22-26.)  Paul  had  gone  back  home.  His  zeal 
at  Damascus  would  seem  to  have  been  cooled  because  few 
were  ready  to  believe  in  him  as  a  genuine  convert.  Paul's 
need  was  the  need  of  everyone  beginning  the  Christian 
life.  It  Is  of  vital  Importance  that  some  one  be  watching 
for  a  way  to  help  such  to  enter  upon  definite  Christian 
work.  The  Church  must  recognize  more  constantly  the 
importance  of  having  every  new  convert  expect  to  attempt 
some  kind  of  definite  service  as  a  follower  of  Christ.  It 
is  of  utmost  importance  for  the  sake  of  the  new  Chris- 
tian. His  growth  is  involved  In  such  a  service.  More- 
over his  help  Is  needed  In  advancing  the  work  of  the 
Kingdom.     (Matt.  x.  5-20.) 

Here  Is  a  phase  of  personal  work  neglected  to  a  lamen- 
table degree.  Christian  leaders  may  well  study  efficiency 
at  this  point.  **To  every  man  his  work"  should  be  a 
working  order  for  all  the  rank  and  file  of  the  Lord's 
army.  It  should  be  in  the  plan  of  every  one  who  is  striv- 
ing to  win  an  Individual  to  Christ  to  have  something  for 
that  Individual  to  undertake  In  entering  upon  the  Chris- 
tian life.  The  rule  should  have  no  exceptions.  It  may 
be  an  agreement  to  pray  daily  for  someone,  but  It  should 
be  something.  Furthermore,  the  cultivation  of  a  sympa- 
thetic spirit,  like  that  of  Barnabas,  ever  ready  to  encour- 
age a  hesitant  Christian  to  be  more  aggressive,  Is  a  duty 
and  privilege  to  be  recognized  by  all  personal  workers. 
Helping  others  to  work  is  one  of  the  best  ways  of  work- 
ing. It  is  the  explanation  of  every  thriving  Church  or 
Association. 

Prayer. — ^As  I  realize  that  my  growth  Is  advanced  by 
my  faithful  service,  help  me,  my  Master,  to  draw  others 
into  Thy  service,  that  they  too  may  have  a  richer  fruitage. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  63 

STUDY   IX— Ways   of   Personal   Work. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class. 

Since  power  increases  with  service,  every  follower  of 
Christ  must  be  concerned  about  the  work  he  is  to  do,  and 
must  make  it  definite,  with  earnest  and  persevering  pur- 
pose. A  truly  enthusiastic  Christian  may  be  engaged  in 
all  these  ways  of  working,  and  others  also. 

1.  What  is  the  purpose  of  emphasizing  personal  work 
for  the  individual  at  this  point?  What  promise  does 
Christ  give  to  the  worker  ?  What  steps  are  suggested  for 
the  worker?    Are  you  striving  to  win  one  person? 

2.  What  is  the  peculiarity  of  the  Bible  regarding  the 
child?  Give  the  law  regarding  the  moral  responsibility 
of  the  child.  What  advantages  are  offered  the  Christian 
worker  in  Sunday-school  teaching?  Are  you  attempting 
this  work?    If  not,  why  not? 

3.  How  do  most  Christians  feel  about  this  way  of 
working?  What  should  be  the  spirit  of  the  obedient 
follower  regarding  the  attempt  to  witness  publicly  for 
Christ?     What  reflex  blessings  w^ould  it  bring? 

4.  What  advantages  are  found  in  letter-writing  for  the 
person  writing?  What  for  the  person  addressed?  What 
temptation  must  be  guarded  here?  What  spirit  should 
mark  the  letter?  Have  you  tried  this  method?  Will 
you? 

5.  Why  did  Christ  tell  His  disciples  to  tarry  at  Jerusa- 
lem until  they  received  the  blessing  of  power?  What 
advantages  are  found  in  the  Prayer  Circle  ?  What  should 
be  its  aims?  Who  should  be  its  members?  Will  you 
undertake  to  help  form  such  a  Circle? 

6.  What  did  Barnabas  do  in  helping  Paul  to  enter 
upon  Christian  service?  What  is  the  general  feeling  of 
many  professing  Christians  about  active  service  for 
Christ?  What  should  be  the  rule  for  every  Christian? 
Do  you  know  one  whom  you  could  help  to  some  definite 
Christian  service? 

Prayer. — O  Thou  who  hast  said  "I  must  work  while 
it  is  day,"  help  me  to  do  it  faithfully. 


64  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  X— The  People  We  Meet. 
First  Day:  The  Home  Relatives. 

The  final  test  of  a  Christian  is  found  in  his  home  life. 
It  is  a  sad  fact  that  many  who  are  courteous  and  con- 
siderate in  all  other  relations  fail  to  reveal  the  gentleness 
and  unselfishness  of  a  true  Christian  spirit  at  home. 
Business  men,  who  dare  not  forget  themselves  when 
dollars  and  cents  are  involved,  have  been  known  to  leave 
their  kindness  outside  of  the  front  door  of  their  own 
homes  where  their  "loved  ones"  live.  The  mere  fact  is 
disgraceful,  but  is  too  frequently  true  to  be  questioned. 
But  this  fact  is  fatal  when  we  consider  the  duty  and 
privilege  of  witnessing  for  Christ  in  the  home.  How 
many  Christians  find  it  easier  to  speak  of  personal  re- 
ligion anywhere  else  than  at  home!  The  reason  is  not 
far  to  seek.  There  is  a  familiarity  that  breeds  contempt 
when  that  familiarity  has  discovered  the  home-life  to  be 
different  from  that  which  is  seen  of  men. 

There  is  a  message  of  Jesus  Christ,  too  often  forgot- 
ten, which  must  be  emphasized  again.  When  the  Gada- 
rene  had  been  healed  (Mark  v.  1-20),  and  desired  to  be 
allowed  to  go  with  Jesus,  we  read:  "Howbeit  Jesus  suf- 
fered him  not,"  but  sent  him  home  to  his  friends  to  wit- 
ness for  Christ.  This  was  the  hardest  thing  the  man 
could  have  done.  His  old  friends  and  relations  knew  his 
past.  But  just  this  thing  meant  a  strength  of  character 
for  himself  and  a  power  of  testimony  for  Christ  which 
would  have  been  impossible  among  strangers.  It  Is  when 
the  Christian  lives  Christ  among  those  who  know  him 
best  that  he  will  find  it  easy  and  natural  to  enter  into 
the  heart-to-heart  talks  that  will  enable  the  Spirit  of  God 
to  use  him  to  win  loved  ones  to  his  Lord.  How  do  your 
**loved  ones"  measure  your  character? 

Prayer. — Dwell  in  my  heart,  O  Christ,  so  that  Thy 
dwelling  in  my  home  shall  sanctify  all  earthly  loves  with 
the  heavenly  love  which  will  make  my  home  the  dearest 
place  in  the  earth,  and  the  threshold  of  the  heavenlieso 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  65 


STUDY  X^The  People  We  Meet. 
Second  Day:  Companions  in  Boarding-houses, 

For  increasing  thousands  the  only  home-life  is  that 
which  can  be  secured  in  a  boarding-house.  Especially  is 
this  true  for  thousands  of  young  people  whose  life-strug- 
gle is  intensified  because  of  the  lack  of  those  helpful  in- 
fluences which  mark  the  Christian  home.  Hence  their 
problem  as  to  how  to  be  true  in  their  allegiance  to  Christ 
becomes  more  serious.  Too  many  boarding-houses  have 
little  or  no  home  atmosphere.  Blessed  be  the  Christian 
boarding-house  keeper  who  determines  to  cultivate  a  posi- 
tive Christian  atmosphere  in  her  home!  There  is  no 
loneliness  like  that  of  a  great  city  in  which  one  feels  lost 
in  the  crowd.  The  young  Christian  cannot  long  continue 
strong  who  has  no  Christian  fellowship.  If  your  lot  be 
cast  in  a  boarding-house,  and  you  discover  there  one  who 
is  hungry  for  fellowship  and  sympathj^  God's  indication 
of  the  work  He  would  have  you  attempt  is  very  plain  in 
the  condition  itself. 

There  is  a  picture  of  Joseph  which  may  be  studied  with 
profit  here.  It  is  in  Genesis  xxxix.  20-xl.  8.  Though 
cast  into  prison,  Joseph  determined  to  make  the  best  of 
the  situation,  not  only  for  himself,  but  for  his  fellow- 
prisoners.  His  splendid  witnessing  for  God  w^as  constant 
at  all  times,  and  his  power  increased  steadily  as  a  man 
of  God.  What  lonely  young  Christian  can  fail  to  be 
inspired  by  this  record?  Not  only  to  be  true  in  the  face 
of  the  odds  that  multiply  against  one  in  the  loneliness 
of  a  great  city  boarding-house,  but  to  attempt  with  all 
the  earnestness  suggested  in  the  previous  Studies  to  win 
fellow-boarders  to  Christ  and  the  fellowship  of  Christian 
people.  Does  it  lie  in  your  pathway  to  serve  the  Master 
thus?  If  so,  learn  of  Joseph,  and  reveal  the  sympathy 
of  a  Christian,  and  attempt  the  task  of  a  redeemed  fol- 
lower of  Christ,  who  had  not  where  to  lay  His  head, 
but  was  faithful. 

Prayer. — O  Thou  who  hast  trod  the  wine-press  alone, 
help  me  to  learn  Thy  victory.  Give  me  grace  to  be  faith- 
ful m  my  lot  and  station,  a  consistent  witness  for  Thcft, 


66  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  X— The  People  We  Meet. 
Third  Day:  Companions  in  Business. 

Most  men  spend  the  largest  part  of  the  day  in  the 
routine  of  life  known  as  the  business  world.  That  is  to 
say,  the  greater  part  of  the  life  is  spent  in  this  realm.  If, 
therefore,  a  Christian  fail  to  be  true  to  Christ  there,  he 
inevitably  fails  for  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  Emphasis 
must  be  laid  upon  the  necessity  of  realizing  that  no  line 
can  be  drawn  between  the  religious  and  the  secular  in 
the  Christian  life.  Read  Acts  x.  1-4.  Nowhere  is  the 
constraint  more  imperative  upon  a  man  to  live  his  relig- 
ion than  in  his  business  life,  and  to  live  it  in  a  most 
thorough-going  way.  Paul's  injunction  in  Romans  xii. 
II  manifestly  teaches  that  the  secret  of  true  diligence  in 
business  is  the  purpose  to  be  serving  the  Lord  thereby. 
We  know  that  in  the  business  world  it  counts  very  little 
to  say  of  a  stranger  that  he  is  a  professing  Christian. 
But  when  a  man  of  splendid  integrity,  whose  word  is  as 
good  as  his  bond,  whose  humanity  as  an  employer  com- 
pels admiration  from  all  who  know  him,  is  pointed  out 
as  being  a  Christian,  then  the  cause  is  strengthened. 

With  this  life  for  the  first  argument  every  Christian 
must  be  concerned  about  witnessing  for  Christ  in  the 
business  world.  The  way  surely  opens  where  the  en- 
thusiastic Christian  seeks  to  find  it.  Men  once  said  of 
a  well-known  successful  neighbor,  "His  business  is  to  serve 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  he  packs  pork  to  pay  the  ex- 
penses"! There  are  Christian  employers  who  plan  to 
have  a  personal  conversation  with  every  man  in  their 
employ  regarding  their  religious  life.  There  are  young 
men  who  patiently  plan  and  prayerfully  persevere  in  the 
effort  to  win  one,  and  another,  of  their  fellows  to  Jesus 
Christ.  Have  you  been  ready  to  do  this?  Is  there  a 
friend  who  knows  you  as  a  Christian  who  wonders  why 
you  have  never  shown  your  colors? 

Prayer. — ^Thou  hast  taught  me  to  be  diligent  in  sea- 
son and  out  of  season  to  testify  for  Thee,  O  Lord.  Give 
me  grace  to  remember  Thee  when  it  is  easy  to  forget,  and 
to  be  loyal  as  Thy  witness  in  the  busiest  days. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  67 

STUDY   X—The  People  We  Meet. 
Fourth  Day:  Attendants  at  Church. 

Of  the  non-Chrlstlans  attending  Church  with  some 
degree  of  regularity  there  are  two  classes  to  be  discrim- 
inated: first,  those  who  are  open-minded  toward  the 
claims  of  Christ;  second,  those  who  are  somewhat  fixed 
in  the  attitude  of  adherents  and  are  quite  content  to  re- 
main such,  having  decided  that  nothing  more  should  be 
expected  of  them.  They  ignore  the  efforts  of  Christians 
to  win  them  to  open  allegiance  to  Christ.  But  these  two 
classes  in  the  Church  demand  our  endeavor  to  win  them, 
and  we  dare  not  neglect  the  opportunity  which  brings 
this  duty  to  us.  Read  Ezekiel  xxxiii.  i-6.  It  will  not 
suffice  to  say  they  hear  the  Gospel  preached  from  the 
pulpit.  Personal  work  for  the  individual  must  be  per- 
sistently undertaken  by  minister  and  people  in  addition  to 
the  public  message. 

A  very  serious  fact  must  be  noted  here.  There  is  a 
caste  spirit  in  the  Christian  Church  which  militates 
against  the  best  results  in  Christian  work.  We  deplore 
the  caste  spirit  in  pagan  lands,  but  we  condone  it  at 
home.  The  spirit  of  the  elder  brother  in  Luke  xv.  is  in 
the  Church  to  such  an  extent  that  the  spiritual  prodigal 
often  shrinks  from  the  thought  of  coming  to  the  Father's 
house  for  help  and  sympathy.  When  a  truer  Christian 
spirit  marks  the  Church  of  Christ  there  will  be  more 
attendants  at  Church  seeking  the  w^ay  of  life.  Meantime, 
while  we  strive  to  cultivate  this  true  atmosphere  of  Chris- 
tian sympathy,  we  must  strive  to  win  those  who  do  come 
to  the  Church  to  full  allegiance  to  Christ.  Is  there  such 
an  one  whom  you  should  attempt  to  win?  How  long 
have  you  known  this  friend  or  acquaintance,  without 
making  an  effort  to  exert  a  personal  influence  with  him 
for  Christ?  Here  men  have  a  special  expectation  re- 
garding us  as  witnesses.     Let  us  justify  their  expectation. 

Prayer. — O  Thou  who  didst  stand  in  the  Temple- 
court  on  that  great  day  of  the  feast  and  invite  men  to 
come  to  Thee,  help  me  likewise  to  speak  so  that  one  and 
another  may  say  of  my  Church-hom.e — "I  was  born  there." 


68  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY   X— The  People  We  Meet. 
Fifth  Day:  Vacation  Acquaintances, 

The  modern  vacation  is  taking  large  place  in  our  busy 
age.  The  feverish  drive,  the  killing  pace  of  modern  life 
compel  larger  plans  for  rest  and  reinvigoration.  The 
serious  character  of  the  vacation  problem  is  becoming 
apparent.  It  is  a  time  for  general  relaxation.  Many 
customary  restraints  are  set  aside  for  a  time.  More  than 
one  life  has  been  undone  by  a  vacation  experience.  Thou- 
sands of  young  people  who  are  students  find  the  problem 
especially  serious.  Some  think  the  special  time  for  the 
testing  of  a  young  man  is  when  he  goes  to  college ;  but  in 
fact  a  time  of  greater  testing  is  when  he  comes  to  the 
vacation  period  between  the  college  years.  This  is  espe- 
cially true  of  the  Christian  student,  but  it  is  true  of 
all  Christian  people.  The  tendency  of  the  average  sum- 
mer or  winter  resort  is  a  subtle  and  dangerous  one  as 
regards  its  effect  upon  the  spiritual  life.  The  usual  sur- 
roundings of  home.  Church,  and  business  do  not  bring 
their  regular  obligations,  and  the  sense  of  responsibility 
grows  lax. 

When  Daniel  went  to  the  court  of  Babylon  the  new 
surroundings  were  full  of  temptations  to  lower  his  stand- 
ard; but  he  determined  to  be  true.  (Dan.  i.  8-21.)  For 
two  reasons  the  Christian  of  to-day  must  determine  like- 
wise. First,  for  the  sake  of  his  own  spiritual  life;  and, 
second,  because  opportunities  will  be  presented  which  will 
be  especially  advantageous  for  personal  work.  There 
will  be  more  time  for  conference  and  persuasion.  It  is 
a  serious  mistake  to  suppose  the  vacation  is  not  a  time  for 
such  service.  This  feeling  about  Christian  work  at  such 
a  time  is  one  of  the  devil's  strongest  means  of  preventing 
the  efforts  which  many  should  be  making  to  win  friends 
to  Christ.  How  do  you  maintain  your  Christian  life 
during  your  vacation  time? 

Prayer. — Give  me  Daniel's  strength  of  character  and 
fidelity  to  Thee,  O  God.  Let  me  never  compromise  any- 
where with  my  standard  of  righteousness,  but  help  me  to 
be  as  loyal  to  Thee  at  my  vacation  time  as  at  other  times. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  69 

STUDY   X— The  People  We  Meet. 
Sixth  Day:  Social  Companions. 

A  Christian  young  woman  was  attending  an  evening 
reception.  In  the  midst  of  a  dance  a  friend  in  passing 
whispered  that  she  wished  to  speak  with  her.  When  they 
withdrew,  the  friend  burst  into  tears  and  said  she  was  so 
hungry  for  help  and  guidance  in  respect  to  the  Christian 
life.  She  declared  that  she  was  tired  of  the  shallow  life 
of  their  social  set,  and  said  to  the  Christian:  "I  thought 
you  could  help  me.  You  are  a  Sunday-school  teacher  and 
a  Christian.  How  can  I  find  peace  and  satisfaction  in 
spiritual  things?"  The  Christian  friend  was  astounded. 
She  had  not  dreamed  that  this  gay  young  woman  was 
concerned  about  religious  questions.  Moreover,  she  her- 
self had  never  spoken  to  a  friend  about  personal  religion, 
and  now  felt  utterly  helpless  to  assist  her  pleading  ques- 
tioner. This  she  was  frank  enough  to  confess,  and  sug- 
gested that  an  appointment  be  made  w^ith  the  friend  to 
go  with  her  for  a  conference  with  her  pastor. 

When  she  came  to  her  pastor  to  make  the  appointment, 
the  nominal  Christian  w^as  herself  under  deepest  convic- 
tion. This  unexpected  experience  had  revealed  her  to 
herself,  and  had  opened  her  eyes  to  the  fact  that  many 
were  doubtless  as  hungry  for  spiritual  bread  as  her  friend. 
Not  only  so,  but  she  had  learned  that  one  might  speak  a 
helpful  word  even  in  the  midst  of  the  social  gathering. 
She  told  the  story  to  her  pastor  with  a  new  purpose.  Not 
only  was  her  friend  brought  to  Christ,  but  she  herself 
was  drawn  nearer  than  ever  before,  and  entered  into  a 
richer  experience  in  her  Christian  life.  Read  John  ii. 
I -I  I.  The  wine  of  spiritual  gladness  is  ready  at  every 
feast  for  those  who  are  willing  to  seek  the  help  of  Jesus 
in  striving  to  witness  for  Him.  No  social  pleasure  can 
compare  with  the  joy  which  crowns  this  service. 

Prayer. — Thou  didst  attend  the  feast,  my  Saviour,  and 
didst  rejoice  in  the  rejoicing  of  men;  but  evermore  Thou 
didst  seek  to  bring  to  men  the  deeper  joy  of  the  spiritual 
life.     Help  me  to  be  faithful  in  like  endeavor. 


yo  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  X— The  People  We  Meet. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class, 

Our  Ideals  must  ever  be  attempted.  Every  Christian 
should  always  feel  free  to  witness  loyally  and  earnestly 
for  Christ.  There  are  conditions  when  it  were  better  to 
wait  for  the  word  to  be  spoken.  But  this  must  be  the 
exception  and  not  the  rule  for  the  earnest  Christian. 
The  Scriptures  teach  that  the  Christian  should  testify  for 
Christ — *'in  season,  and  out  of  season."  Surely  the  spirit 
of  that  phrase  should  be  observed! 

1.  Why  is  consistent  Christian  living  so  essential  in  the 
home?  Why  do  so  many  Christians  find  it  more  difficult 
to  speak  for  Christ  at  home  than  elsewhere?  How  is  it 
in  your  home?  What  blessings  result  from  faithful  wit- 
nessing in  the  home? 

2.  Why  is  it  important  to  emphasize  the  subject  oi 
witnessing  for  Christ  in  the  boarding-house?  How  does 
this  life  increase  the  struggle  of  the  young  Christian  ? 
What  is  the  lesson  from  the  life  of  Joseph? 

3.  What  is  the  estimate  placed  upon  Church  member- 
ship in  the  business  world  ?  Why  is  it  vital  to  the  Chris- 
tian's own  spiritual  life  that  he  shall  live  his  religion 
earnestly  in  his  daily  business  relations?  What  is  your 
custom  in  regard  to  this  habit? 

4.  What  two  classes  must  be  noted  among  Church 
attendants  who  are  not  communicants?  Why  is  it  dif- 
ficult to  reach  the  second  class?  How  is  the  caste  spirit 
in  the  Church  to  be  overcome?  Is  anyone  near  you, 
waiting? 

5.  Why  is  the  vacation  problem  increasingly  Important 
for  the  Christian?  What  is  the  lesson  from  Daniel's 
loyalty?  Have  you  ever  striven  to  be  true  to  Christ  dur- 
ing the  vacation  time? 

6.  What  lessons  would  you  draw  from  the  incident 
given  of  the  young  women?  Do  you  plan  to  bring  an 
inquirer  to  your  pastor?     Society  needs  Christ. 

Prayer. — Divine  Master  of  men,  help  us  to  put  the 
things  of  God  first  always. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  71' 

STUDY  XI— The  Individual  to  be  Won. 
First  Day:  His  Temperament, 

The  study  of  men  Is  most  important  in  every  realm 
of  life  where  influence  is  to  be  exerted.  But  most  vital 
is  it  to  success  in  winning  individuals  to  Christ.  Many 
fail  in  the  effort  to  approach  a  friend  upon  the  subject 
of  personal  religion  because  they  have  not  studied  the 
individual  to  be  won.  It  were  far  better  to  take  time  to 
study  the  person,  and  when  this  has  brought  some  under- 
standing of  his  characteristics,  the  word  may  be  spoken 
wisely.  Perhaps  the  most  distinctive  thing  about  each 
individual  is  his  temperament.  We  speak  more  familiarly 
of  the  temper  as  hasty,  or  even  as  fretful  or  calm.  Tem- 
perament is  that  disposition  of  mind  which  reveals  the 
quality  of  the  temper  and  the  degree  of  true  temperance 
or  self-mastery  in  the  individual.  The  lack  of  this  betrays 
weakness  always,  a  weakness  apparent  in  irritableness 
which  is  hasty  in  its  manifestation.  True  self-mastery 
means  a  temperance  in  which  the  qualities  of  character 
are  so  evenly  tempered  that  patience  and  sweetness  sup- 
plant irritableness  and  hasty  anger.  We  catch  the  spirit 
of  the  truth  in  James  iii. 

The  personal  worker  must  ever  be  guarding  his  own 
temper  as  he  studies  that  of  another.  To  the  even-tem- 
pered he  can  speak  with  freedom,  but  to  the  nervous  and 
irritable  he  must  speak  most  guardedly  and  gently,  for 
such  an  one  is  not  only  easily  repelled,  but  difficult  to 
approach  again.  Temperament  has  much  to  do  with  the 
disposition  of  the  mind  and  heart  toward  the  truth. 
Selfishness  is  back  of  the  weak  temperament,  and  the 
sense  of  the  need  of  a  Saviour  is  not  keen.  Rather  is  there 
in  such  persons  a  sense  of  having  been  unfairly  dealt  with, 
of  having  suffered  more  than  their  share,  and  therefore 
a  doubting  of  the  love  of  God.  For  such  the  great  need 
is  a  vision  of  the  love  of  God. 

Prayer. — O  Thou  who  didst  hold  Thy  peace  in  the 
midst  of  most  trying  conditions,  help  me  to  learn  to  mas- 
ter myself  as  I  strive  to  be  wise  in  dealing  with  those  of 
weak  and  unhappy  temperament. 


72  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XI— The  Individual  to  be  Won. 
Second  Day:  His  Circumstances. 

Many  things  in  the  life  of  an  individual  are  explained 
the  moment  we  know  his  circumstances.  Unless  we  can 
learn  something  of  his  antecedents  and  surroundings,  we 
will  be  considerably  in  the  dark  in  the  attempt  to  approach 
him  intelligently  in  regard  to  his  religious  life.  One  who 
is  largely  without  friends,  whose  sense  of  loneliness  is 
keen,  can  best  be  reached  by  a  cordial  spirit  of  sympathy 
which  is  ready  to  make  him  actually  know  that  you  de- 
sire to  be  his  friend.  One  who  is  surrounded  by  prac- 
tically everything  that  a  home  and  social  opportunities 
can  give  in  the  way  of  companions  has  no  such  hunger 
for  sympathy,  but  will  have  some  other  desire,  which  must 
be  discovered  if  possible.  One  who  is  in  peculiar  tempta- 
tions because  of  surroundings  which  are  dangerous  will 
need  help  of  a  different  sort  from  one  who  may  have 
Christian  influences  about  him  in  his  daily  life.  Poverty 
may  be  the  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  one's  pride, 
while  sorrow  may  be  the  burden  of  another's  heart.  Note 
how  the  circumstances  in  Paul's  life  made  Ananias  hesi- 
tate to  go  to  him  at  Damascus,  but  how  his  hesitation 
was  removed  when  he  had  learned  one  additional  fact, 
that  Paul  now  prayed.     (Acts  ix.  10-18.) 

Just  how  to  learn  of  one's  circumstances  must  be  left 
to  the  Christian  worker.  Be  kind  and  patient  in  the  study 
of  the  man.  When  you  know  his  circumstances,  always 
make  it  your  rule  to  put  yourself  in  the  fullest  sympathy 
in  his  place;  and  as  you  realize  what  one  would  appre- 
ciate in  like  circumstances,  strive  to  show  to  the  friend 
whom  you  seek  to  win  exactly  what  you  would  wish  to 
be  shown  to  you  in  like  circumstances,  whatever  sort  of 
helpful  attention  it  may  be.  This  cannot  fail  to  help  in 
securing  a  response  from  him  that  will  open  the  way  for 
further  progress. 

Prayer. — May  I   not  be  a  creature  of  circumstances, 
O   Lord,  but  ever  rise  above  them  in  mastery.     May  1 
learn  to  sympathize  with  those  whose  circumstances  have 
hindered  their  spiritual  lives. 


Studies   for   Personal   Workers    73 

STUDY  XI—The  Individual  to  be  Won. 

Third  Day:  His  Companions. 

When  Paul  wrote  to  the  Corinthians  (i  Cor.  xv.  33, 
34)  that  "evil  communications  corrupt  good  manners,"  he 
continues  to  specify  that  the  secret  of  the  influence  which 
is  evil  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  ''some  have  not  the 
knowledge  of  God."  It  is  ever  true  that  the  sneering 
word,  the  shallow  argument,  the  easy  criticism  against 
Christianity,  will  spring  from  ignorance.  But  it  is  just 
this  shallow  argument  which  ensnares  hundreds  of  young 
people.  Our  Lord  gives  another  reason  for  much  of  this 
influence  in  John  iii.  19-21.  Many  who  are  not  willing 
to  attempt  the  struggle  against  sin  are  glad  of  an  excuse 
which  will  somewhat  quiet  their  consciences.  They  not 
only  love  the  darkness  which  hides  the  knowledge  of  their 
sin  from  others,  but  they  prefer  the  darkness  of  unbelief 
to  the  light  of  faith  which  will  compel  a  righteous  life. 

In  considering  one's  circumstances,  we  noted  that  one 
element  is  that  of  associates.  This  oftentimes  cannot  be 
changed.  But  our  reference  to  one's  companions  is  to 
one's  voluntarily  chosen  friends.  When  the  individual 
whom  you  wish  to  reach  has  hurtful  companions,  discuss 
this  subject  at  the  very  start,  in  all  kindness,  but  ear- 
nestly. One  of  two  things  must  be  done:  either  he  must 
be  willing  to  break  from  them,  and  seek  new  friends 
among  Christians,  or  he  must  determine  to  strive  to  win 
them  to  Christ  also.  As  a  rule,  it  would  be  a  mistake  to 
undertake  to  answer  the  arguments  of  such  companions 
which  are  frequently  reported.  Urge  the  plain  fact  that 
earnest  Christians  are  better  companions  than  those  who 
are  not.  Point  to  the  fine  Christian  men,  young  or  old, 
who  are  worthy  of  emulation  and  whose  friendship  would 
be  helpful. 

Prayer. — Thou  art  a  friend  who  sticketh  closer  than 
a  brother.  Help  me,  O  Christ,  to  know  Thine  increas- 
ing friendship,  and  to  lead  those  who  are  not  Thy  friends 
to  come  into  fellowship  with  Thee  and  Thy  people. 


74  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XI— The  Individual  to  be  Won. 
Fourth  Day:  His  Weaknesses. 

One  vulnerable  point  is  generally  discovered  In  the  life 
which  is  surrendering  to  sin.  There  may  be  strong  and 
admirable  qualities,  which  oftentimes  cover  the  weak 
spot;  but  it  will  be  there,  and  because  of  it  all  the  good 
points  do  not  avail.  That  one  vulnerable  point  is  the 
place  which  the  darts  of  temptation  strike.  When  Paul 
urged  the  putting  on  of  the  whole  armor  of  God  (Eph. 
vi.  10-18),  it  is  to  be  noted  how  he  emphasized  such 
words  as  all  and  ahuays.  Any  willingness  to  compromise 
with  one  sin  is  fatal  to  real  strength  of  character,  for  that 
must  be  built  by  conquering  at  the  weakest  point  in  the 
struggle  of  the  soul.  Therefore  we  must  study  the  in- 
dividual to  be  reached,  not  only  to  learn  what  his  weak- 
ness may  be,  but  how  to  watch  against  it  in  planning  to 
help  him. 

For  so  many  young  men  the  fatal  weakness  is  the  appe- 
tite for  intoxicating  drink.  The  curse  of  the  drink  habit 
has  shackled  thousands  of  splendid  men  in  miserable 
slavery.  (Prov.  xx.  I.)  This  weakness  is  mentioned  be- 
cause it  is  generally  soon  apparent,  as  we  study  the  indi- 
vidual. Others  are  not  so  easy  to  discover.  It  may  be 
a  subtle  intellectual  pride  v/hich  will  not  give  the  truth 
fair  consideration.  It  may  be  the  weakness  of  a  stubborn 
will.  Whatever  it  is,  seek  to  discover  it  patiently  and 
wisely.  Conversation  will  often  disclose  it,  or  careful 
inquiry  of  those  who  know  him.  In  every  case  the  one 
truth  to  urge  is  that  Christ  is  able  to  give  strength  suf- 
ficient to  conquer  every  sin  and  every  weakness.  Always 
make  plain  the  two  constant  essentials  of  faith  and  re- 
pentance, in  order  to  receive  Christ.  If  a  man  has  any 
longing  to  be  free  from  the  slavery  of  any  sin,  this  truth 
about  Christ  will  win  him  in  time. 

Prayer. — When  I  find  a  man  overtaken  in  a  fault,  help 
me,  dear  Lord,  to  strive  to  restore  such  an  one  in  the 
spirit  of  meekness,  considering  myself,  lest  I  also  be 
tempted  and  become  a  castaway. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  75 

STUDY  XI— The  Individual  to  be  Won. 
Fifth  Day:  His  Strong  Points. 

Oftentimes  it  will  help  to  conquer  his  weak  point  by 
encouraging  a  man  to  develop  his  strong  points.  (Rom. 
xii.  21.)  He  can  do  something  which  will  entertain  a 
company  where  you  are  anxious  to  have  him  become  ac- 
quainted. Perhaps  he  loves  music,  or  art,  or  has  the  gift 
of  helping  boys  to  have  a  good  time.  Plan  something  for 
the  purpose  of  securing  a  stronger  hold  upon  him  at  his 
strong  point.  Always  cause  him  to  feel  that  he  is  useful 
and  helpful.  Something  in  every  man  responds  to  the 
appeal  for  help,  especially  if  it  be  something  he  likes  to  do. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  sometimes  best  to  avoid  a 
man's  strong  points.  It  is  often  true  that  a  man's  weak- 
ness is  found  in  the  excessive  indulgence  of  a  strong 
quality.  For  instance,  a  strong  will  is  sometim.es  betrayed 
into  stubbornness,  or  fine  intellectuality  yields  to  the 
temptation  to  argue.  In  such  cases  it  is  wise  to  avoid 
this  point  of  his  strength,  and  seek  to  touch  his  heart. 
And  in  all  such  cases  the  worker  must  study  the  indi- 
vidual in  order  to  determine  just  how  to  deal  with  his 
strong  points,  by  using  them  or  eluding  them.  If  he  be 
a  thorough-going,  manly  nature,  appeal  to  his  sincerity 
with  intense  earnestness.  Challenge  his  constant  fairness 
in  the  study  of  the  subject,  and  in  the  consideration  of 
his  own  real  need  and  deepest  desires.  Let  him  realize 
that  you  expect  much  of  his  noblest  manhood.  Over 
against  what  weaknesses  he  may  have,  and  in  connection 
with  the  insistence  that  he  constantly  look  to  Christ  for 
help,  this  appeal  to  the  best  in  the  man  often  proves  a 
great  factor  in  his  uplifting.  Moreover,  the  discovery  of 
what  one  does  well  is  the  secret  often  of  helping  him  to 
be  victorious,     (i  Sam.  xvii.  38-40.) 

Prayer. — ^Thou  didst  make  the  most  of  the  abilities  of 
Thy  disciples,  dear  Master.  Help  me  to  learn  to  do  this 
in  my  dealing  with  men. 


76  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XI— The  Individual  to  be  Won. 
Sixth  Day:  His  Degree  of  Faith. 

Whenever  the  individual  to  be  won  is  willing  to  con- 
verse about  his  religious  life,  one  rule  of  supreme  im- 
portance must  always  be  applied.  Discover  how  much 
he  believes.  (John  ix.  35-38.)  Never  encourage  a  re- 
hearsal of  doubts  and  difficulties.  If  he  should  insist 
upon  urging  these,  give  them  fair  consideration,  but  help 
him  to  see  that  his  sure  path  to  peace  and  growing 
strength  is  the  path  of  increasing  faith.  Secure  a  con- 
fession as  to  all  he  does  believe.  (John  xi.  25-27.)  He 
will  probably  be  surprised  to  discover  that  he  has  so  much 
faith.  Bismarck  once  said:  "Tell  me  what  you  believe: 
I  have  doubts  enough  of  my  own."  The  same  human 
nature  is  in  every  man.  The  very  study  and  emphasis 
of  what  we  do  believe  is  sure  to  strengthen  our  faith. 

In  discovering  the  faith  of  an  individual,  do  not  sim- 
ply ask  him  to  tell  you  how  much  he  believes,  but  help 
him  to  realize  it.  (John  xx.  30,  31.)  A  young  man  once 
asked  how  he  could  learn  to  believe.  The  answer  was 
to  begin  with  something  he  could  not  doubt.  He  tliought 
that  would  be  hard  to  find.  "You  cannot  doubt  that 
character  is  the  most  important  thing  in  this  world." 
Thoughtfully  he  declared  he  did  believe  that.  "You 
cannot  doubt  that  the  character  of  Christ  is  the  most 
perfect  character  known  to  men."  After  a  moment's 
thought  he  admitted  it.  "You  cannot  doubt  that  Christ's 
character  is  the  incarnation  of  His  own  teaching.  He 
lived  His  teaching."  Again  he  slowly  admitted  it. 
"Well,  you  believe  a  great  deal.  Your  feet  are  on  a 
rock.  Keep  right  there,  and  realize  that  as  it  is  because 
Christ's  teachings  lived  in  His  life  explain  Christ,  so  His 
teachings  lived  in  your  life  will  make  you  to  become  like 
Him."  He  was  astonished.  He  determined  to  begin  the 
study  of  Christ's  teachings  with  this  in  view.  Within  a 
few  years  he  was  a  Sunday-school  teacher. 

Prayer. — Help  me  to  love  light  rather  than  darkness, 
divine  Teacher.  I  believe:  help  Thou  mine  unbelief. 
Help  me  to  live  true  to  what  I  do  believe. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  77 

STUDY  XI— The  Individual  to  be  Won. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class. 

All  of  these  studies  are  suggestive,  and  do  not  assume 
to  be  exhaustive.  Only  these  more  common  elements  in 
the  character  and  conditions  of  men  have  been  touched 
upon.  The  earnest  and  watchful  Christian  will  note 
other  facts  to  be  considered  in  different  individuals.  The 
spirit  of  the  work  will  obtain  in  all  cases. 

1.  Why  is  it  necessary  to  know  the  individual  before 
assuming  to  discuss  the  subject  of  personal  religion  with 
him?  How  would  you  define  temperament?  How  does 
James  iii.  involve  temperament  in  its  discussion?  Why 
does  one's  own  temperament  need  to  be  studied? 

2.  Why  is  it  important  to  know  the  circumstances  of 
the  individual  to  be  won?  Suggest  how  different  cir- 
cumstances would  call  for  different  treatment  by  the 
Christian.     How  is  one  to  learn  of  these  circumstances? 

3.  What  is  the  explanation  of  the  evil  influence  of  one 
who  is  not  a  Christian,  as  suggested  by  Paul  and  by  our 
Lord  in  John  iii.?  What  distinction  is  to  be  made  be- 
tween associates  and  companions?  How  should  a  Chris- 
tian deal  with  evil  companions? 

4.  Why  is  one  vulnerable  point  fatal  to  the  charac- 
ter? What  is  the  force  of  Paul's  plea  to  the  Ephesians? 
What  are  some  of  the  common  points  of  weakness  in 
our  lives?  What  is  the  one  great  truth  to  urge  upon 
such  individuals?  What  two  essentials  are  always  to  be 
urged  upon  one  who  has  not  accepted  Christ? 

5.  How  should  we  deal  with  the  strong  points  of  a 
friend  whom  we  wish  to  win  to  Christ?  When  should 
we  avoid  one's  strong  points?  How  should  we  usually 
deal  with  a  manly  nature? 

6.  Why  is  it  helpful  to  emphasize  the  importance  of 
a  man's  faith,  rather  than  to  attempt  to  deal  with  his 
doubts?  Repeat  the  experience  of  the  individual  given 
in  the  reading. 

Prayer. — Thou  didst  suit  the  word  or  deed  to  the  need 
of  the  individual,  O  Lord.  Help  me  to  learn  to  be  wise 
in  like  manner. 


78  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XII— Principles  of  Procedure. 
First  Day:  Prepare  for  the  Particular  Individual. 

The  Christian  worker  is  not  yet  ready  to  speak  for 
Christ,  though  all  the  preparations  thus  far  suggested 
may  have  been  carefully  and  prayerfully  observed.  There 
is  a  special  preparation  to  be  made  for  the  approach  to 
the  particular  individual.  There  should  be  a  personal 
preparation  of  prayer  and  emphasis  of  responsibility.  As 
a  rule,  the  individual  to  be  won  is  not  suddenly  ap- 
proached. No  Christian  should  assume  to  go  to  a 
friend  to  speak  for  Christ  without  doing  tw^o  things: 
first,  seeking  a  special  blessing  for  the  particular  effort 
(Neh.  ii.  4-8)  ;  second,  taking  upon  the  heart  the  burden 
of  the  individual  to  be  won.  (2  Kings  v.  2,  3.)  Even 
if  the  opportunity  be  suddenly  faced,  no  word  should  be 
spoken  without  a  silent  prayer  for  help,  a  moment's 
thoughtful  appreciation  of  the  momentous  issues  at  stake, 
and  a  purpose  to  be  Christ-like  in  spirit  and  earnest  in 
the  effort.  Paul's  personal  preparation  recorded  in  Gala- 
tians  i.  15-17  explains  much  of  the  power  in  his  life-work. 

Who  can  doubt  that  many  an  effort  is  ineffective  be- 
cause no  such  personal  preparation  has  been  sought  in 
the  particular  case?  It  is  just  this  which  gives  a  power 
to  the  worker  which  every  man  feels,  though  he  may 
not  understand  it.  There  is  more  of  persuasion  in  the 
voice  when  this  spirit  is  back  of  the  word  spoken  than 
can  ever  be  secured  in  any  other  way.  There  is  an  ear- 
nest intensity  of  soul  which  throbs  in  the  entire  ex- 
pression of  the  worker  which  carries  conviction  to  the 
heart  of  many  a  man.  Let  men  believe  that  Christianity 
is  to  you  the  most  real  of  all  realities,  and  there  will  be 
a  power  in  your  words  greater  than  that  which  comes 
from  skilful  argument.  Cultivating  His  prayer-life  was 
the  secret  of  Christ's  power,  both  with  God  and  men. 
Have  you  been  accustomed  to  prepare  thus  before  speak- 
ing to  an  individual  for  Christ? 

Prayer. — Divine  Master,  let  me  not  suppose  that  Thou 
canst  use  me  except  as  I  seek  to  be  fully  prepared  for 
Thy  service. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  7^ 

STUDY  XII— Principles  of  Procedure. 
Second  Day:  Begin  with  a  Confession. 

Any  intimation  of  a  feeling  of  superiority  on  the  part 
of  a  Christian  is  fatal  to  his  influence  with  one  who  is 
not,  especially  in  view  of  the  fact  that  any  such  spirit  is 
always  unjustifiable.  To  go  with  a  confession  of  un- 
worthiness  is  not  only  consistent,  but  it  tends  to  disarm 
criticism.  (Gen.  xli.  15,  16.)  Many  a  young  man  feels, 
with  reason,  that  he  is  as  good  as  some  professing  Chris- 
tians whom  he  knows.  He  is  likely  to  grow  into  a  feel- 
ing of  this  sort  about  Christians  in  general.  He  does 
not  realize  how  a  true  Christian,  though  weak  and  care- 
less, may  have  much  of  reality  in  a  spiritual  experience 
which  the  world  cannot  see.  Alas  that  so  many  Chris- 
tians do  not  witness  for  Christ  so  that  men  cannot  fail 
to  know  that  they  are  His  followers!  No  Christian 
should  be  satisfied  with  less  than  this;  but  many  are, 
and  the  non-Christian  knows  it.     (2  Cor.  v.  11 -21.) 

Hence,  when  approaching  him,  it  is  always  safest  and 
generally  helpful  to  begin  by  confessing  one's  own  sense 
of  unworthiness,  and  then  add  a  confession  of  faith  and 
hope  in  Christ  as  one  who  is  most  precious  and  helpful 
to  you,  and  therefore  to  all  w^ho  will  accept  Him.  A 
young  man  once  wrote  the  following  letter  to  his  school- 
friend:  "Dear  Bob — I  have  hesitated  to  speak  to  you 
about  confessing  Christ  because  I  do  not  feel  worthy  to 
do  so.  Often  I  have  felt  that  you  are  a  better  boy  than 
I.  And  yet  I  am  sure  that  you  would  have  a  precious 
blessing  if  you  would  confess  Christ  openly.  I  believe 
you  are  a  Christian  at  heart,  and  I  know  you  would 
rejoice  in  your  experience  if  you  should  give  open  alle- 
giance to  your  Saviour.  Will  you  not  think  and  pray 
about  it?  I  pray  that  you  may  be  led  to  take  this  step, 
and  become  a  strong  Christian.  Truly  yours."  The 
letter  was  sent  in  prayer.  The  young  man  soon  con- 
fessed Christ. 

Prayer. — Empty  me  of  any  sense  of  self-sufficiency, 
blessed  Master.  Help  me  ever  to  remember  my  own 
unworthiness  as  I  strive  to  help  others. 


8o  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XII— Principles  of  Procedure. 
Third  Day:  Emphasize  the  Positive  Side, 

In  the  previous  Study  we  noted  the  value  of  empha- 
sizing the  importance  of  an  individual's  faith,  rather 
than  attempting  to  consider  his  various  doubts.  One  can 
have  doubts  forever  by  the  cultivation  of  the  negative 
side  of  any  subject.  Faith  means  trusting  when  knowl- 
edge is  not  complete,  and  cannot  be.  It  is  vital  to  rea- 
sonable faith  to  have  an  inquirer  realize  that  human 
faculties  are  finite,  that  men  do  not  fully  comprehend 
the  very  simplest  and  most  familiar  facts  of  every-day 
life.  On  the  other  hand,  no  mystery  baffles  the  human 
mind  which  is  not  touched  by  a  plain  fact.  There  are 
two  ways  of  approaching  the  study  of  anything.  One  is 
to  begin  with  the  fact,  make  the  most  of  the  fact,  follow 
along  the  line  of  the  fact,  and  wait  for  more  light.  (John 
ix.  25.)  The  other  way  is  to  insist  upon  comprehending 
the  mystery  before  accepting  the  fact  and  enjoying  the 
blessings  which  the  fact  may  bring.  The  first  method 
is  scientific,  reasonable.  The  second  is  unscientific,  fruit- 
less, unreasonable.  In  every  department  of  knowledge 
men  adopt  the  first  of  these  methods,  if  they  ever  advance. 
(Read  Matt.  vii.  16-20.) 

Therefore  the  Christian  must  make  this  principle 
plain,  and  must  emphasize  its  reasonable  demand.  Let 
the  inquirer  see  that  the  best  way  to  overcome  and  dis- 
pose of  his  doubts  is  to  build  on  the  facts  which  are  the 
true  basis  of  a  reasonable,  working  faith.  Along  this 
line  every  man  will  grow  strong,  and  only  by  this  method. 
Of  course,  at  times,  certain  doubts  and  questions  must 
be  considered,  but  the  positive  constructive  method  of 
building  up  a  clear,  strong  faith  in  Christ  is  the  only 
sure  cure  for  an  unbelieving  man.  Draw  upon  the  facts 
of  Christianity,  the  evident  truth  of  the  Gospel,  the 
fruits  of  genuine  Christian  service,  and  like  facts  of  such 
character  as  to  justify  hearty  and  confident  faith. 

Prayer. — Thou  didst  make  plain  the  way  by  living  the 
truth.  Help  me  to  realize  the  constructive  force  of  this 
fact,  and  give  me  wisdom  in  helping  men  to  see  it. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  8i 

STUDY  XII— Principles  of  Procedure. 
Fourth  Day:  Agree  as  Far  as  Possible. 

Not  many  people  are  all  wrong.  ''Total  depravity" 
is  a  term  much  misunderstood.  It  never  meant  that  a 
man  w^as  all  depraved,  but  that  every  part  of  the  totality 
of  his  nature  was  affected  by  sin.  One  of  the  illuminat- 
ing passages  upon  the  subject  of  method  of  Christian 
work  is  that  in  Acts  xvii.  22-31.  Here  Paul  addresses 
the  Athenians  with  evident  intention  to  find  as  much 
common  ground  with  them  as  possible.  Instead  of  de- 
claring them  to  be  "too  superstitious,"  he  compliments 
them,  as  the  R.  V.  shows,  as  being  'Very  religious." 
Later  he  quotes  one  of  their  own  poets  as  voicing  the 
truth  w^hich  he  is  presenting  at  that  point.  Yet  there 
are  those  who  are  not  ready  to  see  any  truth  in  the  teach- 
ings of  Confucius  or  Buddha  when  carrying  the  Gospel 
to  their  followers.  They  lose  much  by  failing  to  adopt 
Paul's  method. 

This  principle  is  exactly  consistent  with  the  sugges- 
tion that  we  emphasize  faith  rather  than  doubts.  Always 
make  the  most  of  a  man's  faith.  Always  try  to  see  all 
that  is  hopeful  in  his  view.  Point  out  that  his  position, 
at  the  point  where  he  admits  any  part  of  the  truth,  is 
the  one  to  dwell  upon,  in  order  that  progress  may  be 
made  at  that  point  toward  a  fuller  and  clearer  appre- 
ciation of  the  truth.  If  non-essential  matters  arise  for 
discussion,  as  they  will,  urge  that  they  be  set  aside  for 
the  time,  without  entering  into  their  discussion.  For  the 
other  side  of  this  principle  is  to  avoid  disagreement,  when 
it  can  be  avoided,  especially  if  it  be  about  some  secondary 
matter.  When  we  push  the  claims  of  the  truth  along 
the  lines  of  the  largest  facts  of  sin  and  character  and 
destiny,  and  the  need  of  a  Saviour,  in  the  very  nature  of 
the  truth  considered,  there  is  less  ground  for  disagree- 
ment, and  therefore  a  better  prospect  for  winning  the 
individual  to  conviction  and  acceptance  of  duty. 

Prayer. — Give  me  a  clear  vision  of  the  truth,  O  Spirit 
of  God,  promised  to  guide  me  into  all  truth.  May  I  be 
willing  to  see  the  good  wherever  found. 


82  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

IM— WW— ^1— — mni—ninasMjiiMiMMMiiMir  iii ■«— ■■ ii i  wmmmaammmmmmm 

STUDY  XII— -Principles  of  Procedure. 
Fifth  Day:  Make  No  Compromise  tuith  Truth, 

To  agree  with  truth  whenever  it  is  found  is  not  to 
be  confounded  with  admitting  error.  Paul  told  those 
Athenians  wherein  the  Gospel  he  preached  condemned 
their  false  faith  and  idolatrous  practices.  Moreover, 
when  a  vital  principle  was  involved,  Paul  withstood 
Peter  to  his  face  at  Antioch.  (Gal.  ii.  11-16.)  Some 
thought  the  half-hearted  sort  of  Christian  who  divided 
his  allegiance  to  Christ  with  his  old  allegiance  to  Juda- 
ism was  good  enough.  But  Paul  saw  that  such  Chris- 
tianity would  soon  lose  its  vitality  and  power.  Here  is 
the  fundamental  fact  which  must  always  be  remembered 
when  one  is  tempted  to  be  satisfied  with  an  attitude 
toward  Christ  which  is  not  thorough-going.  For  the 
sake  of  the  man  who  is  to  be  won  to  Christ  the  Evan- 
gelical Christian  dare  not  consent  to  a  conception  of 
Christianity  which  is  not  in  accord  with  the  world-wide 
faith  of  Protestantism.  (John  iii.  1-3.)  Nothing  else 
will  abide  or  suffice  for  the  individual  or  the  race. 

There  are  phases  of  the  truth  claiming  to  be  Chris- 
tian, but  lacking  some  vital  essential  to  the  faith,  which 
will  one  day  prove  it  to  be  insufficient.  To  many  its 
adherents  seem  to  be  all  and  to  have  all  that  any  Chris- 
tian is  or  has.  But  in  all  of  them  something  is  lacking 
from  full  recognition  of  the  person  and  work  of  Jesus 
Christ  as  the  only  and  sufficient  Saviour  of  men.  Most 
clearly  the  history  of  the  faith  has  proven  that  when 
Christ  has  not  been  given  full  recognition,  the  compro- 
mise with  truth  has  been  fatal.  Hence  in  dealing  with 
the  individual,  the  full  claim  of  Jesus  Christ  for  a  com- 
plete trust  and  full  allegiance  must  be  urged.  This  does 
not  mean  that  all  details  of  a  creed  must  be  accepted,  but 
it  does  involve  the  vital  essentials  of  the  Evangelical 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Prayer. — Help  me  fully  to  realize  that  "there  is  no 
other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men  whereby  we 
must  be  saved,"  and  give  me  wisdom  to  be  able  to  help 
others  to  see  this  vital  truth  clearly  and  gladly. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  83 

STUDY  XII-— Principles  of  Procedure. 
Sixth  Day:  Use  God's  Word  to  Meet  Special  Points, 

Christ's  practice  of  this  principle  is  the  familiar  fact 
in  the  Gospel  record.  His  followers  should  learn  to  use 
the  Word  of  God  as  He  used  it.  In  urging  His  claim 
to  be  the  Christ,  He  quoted  the  words  of  David  (Ps. 
ex.  i),  and  emphasized  the  fact  that  David  spoke  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  2.)  David  was  their  great 
hero  and  national  idol.  This  appeal  was  final.  Hence 
we  read,  "the  common  people  heard  Him  gladly."  (Mark 
xii.  35-37.)  Again,  when  the  lawyer  questioned  Him  as 
to  how  to  inherit  eternal  life  (Luke  x.  25-28),  He  did 
not  simply  bring  the  Scriptures  for  His  answer,  but  put 
the  question  to  the  lawyer  himself  as  to  the  teaching. 
This  is  often  effective.  Have  the  inquirer  give  the 
Scripture,  or,  if  he  should  not  know  it,  find  it  and  request 
him  to  read  it  for  himself. 

Christ  knew  His  Bible.  The  Christian  worker  must 
also  know^  this  book.  (Heb.  iv.  12.)  In  His  temptation 
Christ  knew  the  Scriptures  from  point  to  point  which 
met  the  tempter's  words.  (Matt.  iv.  i-ii.)  We  see  here 
\\o\v  the  Christian  must  be  ready  to  use  the  Word.  Even 
the  devil  will  quote  Scripture,  or  misquote  it,  and  if  any 
man  do  the  same  w^e  must  be  ready  to  put  the  truth  over 
against  the  misquotation  or  the  false  application  of  the 
text.  Especially  when  one  is  ready  to  accept  the  Bible 
as  authority  is  this  method  to  be  used  vigorously.  Many 
will  tell  you  they  have  no  trouble  about  the  Bible,  but 
do  not  see  this  or  that  teaching  therein;  or  they  may  be 
resting  upon  certain  texts  which  they  imagine  will  justify 
their  position.  A  young  lawyer,  who  thought  himself 
thoroughly  candid,  said  he  could  see  no  reasonableness 
in  the  Scriptures.  He  was  told  that  Paul  had  described 
him  in  i  Corinthians  ii.  14.  In  surprise,  he  decided  to 
read  this  entire  epistle.  He  admired  Paul.  God  will 
use  the  message. 

Prayer. — Thou  hast  taught  us  to  search  the  Scriptures, 
dear  Master.  May  we  do  this,  both  because  of  the  life 
they  bring  to  us,  and  that  we  may  help  others. 


84  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XII— Principles  of  Procedure. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class. 

These  six  principles  suggested  are  among  the  most  im- 
portant to  be  applied  by  the  Christian  worker.  More 
vital  than  the  method  Is  the  earnestness  of  spirit.  A 
trellis  Is  helpful  to  a  vine,  but  a  living  vine  vrill  grovi^ 
without  a  trellis.     Having  both  we  get  the  best  fruit. 

1.  What  preparation  should  be  made  by  the  Christian 
worker  In  connection  with  the  plan  to  approach  a  par- 
ticular Individual?  Why?  How  does  It  give  peculiar 
power  to  the  worker?     Have  you  prepared  thus? 

2.  Why  Is  It  unwise  to  show  any  sense  of  superiority 
in  approaching  one  who  Is  not  a  Christian?  How  do 
such  people  feel  about  most  Christians?  What  kind  of 
a  confession  Is  becoming  in  a  Christian?  Give  the  point 
to  be  noted  In  the  Incident  of  the  letter. 

3.  Why  Is  It  important  to  emphasize  the  positive  side 
in  the  discussion?  What  are  the  two  ways  of  approach- 
ing the  study  of  anything?  What  makes  the  Christian's 
faith  reasonable?  What  are  the  main  facts  to  be  em- 
phasized In  striving  to  strengthen  one's  faith? 

4.  State  the  substance  of  Paul's  argument  before  the 
Athenians.  Why  did  Paul  seek  to  agree  with  them  as 
far  as  he  could?  How  should  Christians  deal  with 
heathen  and  pagan  believers? 

5.  What  was  the  point  of  difference  between  Paul  and 
Peter  at  Antioch?  Why  was  It  so  important  as  to 
justify  Paul's  unwillingness  to  compromise  the  truth? 
What  Is  the  great  truth  which  Is  most  vital  to  the  Chris- 
tian faith?  What  teachings  to-day  compromise  this 
truth?     (General  answer.) 

6.  What  was  Christ's  practice  In  regard  to  the  use  of 
the  Bible  in  dealing  with  men?  How  did  He  strengthen 
His  claim  to  be  the  Messiah?  How  did  He  deal  with 
the  lawyer?  How  did  He  meet  temptations?  What  Is 
the  evidence  that  Christ  knew  His  Bible? 

Prayer. — Help  me  to  learn  what  Paul  meant  when 
he  said  he  was  all  things  to  all  men,  if  by  any  means  he 
might  win  some. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  85 

STUDY  XIII— Using  the  Bible  with  Men. 
First  Day:  Not  Always  the  First  Book  to  Use. 

When  Paul  preached  to  the  Athenians  (Acts  xvif.  22- 
31),  he  did  not  at  first  refer  to  the  Scriptures,  from 
which  he  always  argued  in  preaching  to  the  Jews.  He 
knew  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  would  have  no  authori- 
tative significance  to  the  Greeks.  The  only  book  to 
which  Paul  appealed  was  a  book  of  Greek  poetry  which 
set  forth  the  truth  in  such  a  way  as  to  appeal  to  the 
Greeks  more  than  Moses  or  Isaiah  would  have  done.  In 
this  Paul  showed  no  lack  of  confidence  in  the  Word  of 
God.  He  knew  the  "carnal  mind  is  enmity  against 
God/'  and  that  "the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things 
of  the  Spirit  of  God."  (i  Cor.  ii.  14.)  There  are  those 
who  have,  by  various  means,  come  to  have  a  prejudice 
against  the  Bible,  or  against  Christianity  in  general.  For 
many  of  these  It  will  be  better  to  use  some  other  book  as 
a  preparation  for  them  to  study  the  Bible  later. 

For  Instance,  a  young  man  recently  asserted  his  con- 
viction that  Christ  was  the  best  man  who  ever  lived,  but 
he  refused  to  believe  in  the  supernatural  In  revelation 
and  life.  Without  attempting  to  argue  that  Christ  could 
not  have  been  a  mere  man,  If  He  be  counted  the  best  of 
men,  because  His  claim  must  then  be  admitted  as  true^ 
the  young  man  was  given  a  copy  of  Yonge's  "Christ  of 
History."  In  that  book  the  very  point  of  view  which 
the  young  man  held  is  taken.  The  author  begins  with 
Christ  as  a  man,  and  rises  step  by  step  to  the  argument 
that  any  man  who  lived  the  life  of  Christ  must  have 
been  more  than  a  man.  The  presentation  is  concise, 
clear,  forcible.  While  reading  it,  the  young  man  must 
take  the  whole  argument  without  interruption,  and  God 
will  use  the  truth  there  as  surely  as  in  the  Bible,  to  which 
the  young  man  w^IU  turn  later  with  new  interest. 

Prayer. — Help  me  to  prepare  the  way  for  Thee,  O 
Christ,  In  whatever  manner  may  seem  to  promise  the  best 
result.  Then  I  can  bring  men  who  are  interested  to 
Thy  Word  of  truth,  to  which  they  will  more  readily 
respond. 


86  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY  XIII— Using  the  Bible  with  Men. 

Second  Day:  Relative  Authority  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments, 

Most  Important  to  the  defence  of  the  truth  is  a  clear 
understanding  regarding  the  authority  of  the  Scriptures, 
especially  the  distinction  to  be  made  between  the  authority 
of  the  Old  Testament  and  that  of  the  New.  Unbelievers 
are  continually  attacking  certain  portions  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, as  containing  standards  of  life  quite  unworthy  of 
the  God  of  righteousness.  Two  things  must  be  clear  at 
this  point.  First,  the  fact  of  a  progressive  revelation  of 
God's  will;  and,  second,  the  fact  that  Christ  Himself 
set  aside  those  Old  Testament  laws  which  are  superseded 
by  the  Gospel  and  the  New  Testament.  In  Mark  x. 
our  Lord  states  that  the  Mosaic  law  allowing  divorce 
was  not  the  final  expression  of  the  will  of  God,  but  was 
on  a  lower  level  because  of  the  hardness  of  the  hearts 
of  the  people.  In  the  sermon  on  the  Mount,  Christ  said 
(Matt.  V.  43)  :  "Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said. 
Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  and  hate  thine  enemy. 
(Deut.  xviii.  6  and  Ps.  xli.  10.)  But  I  say  unto  you, 
Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you,"  etc. 

Paul,  in  his  sermon  at  Athens,  had  this  same  truth  in 
mind  when  he  said  (Acts  xvii.  30)  :  "And  the  times  of 
this  Ignorance  God  winked  at,"  etc.  Canon  Mozley  states 
the  case  thus:  "A  religion  from  God  must  be  revealed  pro- 
gressively. If  it  had  been  at  once  proclaimed  in  Its  higher 
and  purer  form,  men  In  their  moral  darkness  and  degra- 
dation could  not  have  received  It.  It  must  come  to  them 
through  their  own  moral  atmosphere,  modified  by  Its 
confusion  on  all  ethical  questions.  It  could  only  be 
apprehended  gradually.  By  degrees  It  will  elevate  the 
standard,  and  lift  the  race  to  a  higher  plane."  To  this 
higher  plane  Christ  lifts  men.  The  aim  and  end  of  a 
progressive  revelation  justifies  It.  If  these  facts  be  clear, 
the  difficulty  on  this  point  w^Ill  disappear. 

Prayer. — O  Spirit  promised  to  guide  Into  all  truth, 
help  me  clearly  to  see  the  truth  and  to  be  able  to  vindi- 
cate its  authority  to  men. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  87 


STUDY  XIII— Using  the  Bible  with  McfU 

Third  Day:  The  Place  of  Miracles. 

To  many  minds  the  most  difficult  fact  to  understand 
is  the  place  of  miracles  in  God's  dealings  with  men. 
When  we  turn  to  the  Old  Testament  it  is  very  impor- 
tant to  remember  the  actual  condition  of  the  masses  of 
the  people.  They  were  ignorant  and  undisciplined. 
Only  a  few  could  read,  and  the  multitude  received  the 
truth  from  these  few.  Now  all  revelation  must  be 
accommodated  to  the  limitations  of  the  people  to  be  in- 
structed. Modern  pedagogy  emphasizes  the  value  of  the 
object-lesson  for  the  child.  This  was  the  very  method 
God  used  in  teaching  men.  The  miracle  was  intended 
to  illuminate  the  truth  rather  than  to  prove  i.t. 

The  purpose  of  the  miracle  was  to  authenticate  the 
messenger  of  Jehovah  by  such  manifestation  of  power, 
in  connection  with  his  message,  as  to  convince  the  people 
that  Jehovah  was  a  mightier  God  than  their  gods.  Thus 
in  the  mission  of  Moses,  the  plagues  smote  Egyptian  gods 
one  after  another,  until  this  one  great  truth  convinced 
both  Israel  and  Egypt,  that  Jehovah's  power  was  supreme. 
(Ex.  iii.  19,  20.)  So  in  the  test  of  fire  at  Mt.  Carmel, 
the  significance  of  the  challenge  was  in  the  fact  that 
Baal  was  the  sun-god.  The  god  of  Nineveh  was  Dagon 
the  fish-god.  Whether  Jonah  be  history  or  parable,  the 
same  purpose  appeared.  It  must  be  made  clear  that 
Jehovah  is  greater  than  Dagon. 

Turning  to  the  New  Testament,  we  find  Christ  (John 
xix.  10,  11)  emphasizing  the  place  of  miracles,  but  sug- 
gesting (John  XX.  29)  that  the  day  would  come  when 
men  would  not  need  the  object-lesson,  as  they  did  in  the 
past.  But  because  we  are  past  the  kindergarten  we  must 
not  forget  the  children  in  the  earlier  grades  of  the  school. 
Modern  science  teaches  the  immanence  of  God  in  all  life. 
He  was  in  the  early  life  of  the  race  in  miracle,  teaching 
men  by  it  concerning  His  truth  and  power. 

Prayer. — For  the  manifestation  of  Thy  power  and 
love,  we  thank  Thee,  O  God.  May  we  know  the  blessed- 
ness of  those  who  now  believe  without  seeing  as  of  old. 


88  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XIII— Using  the  Bible  with  Men. 
Fourth  Day:  Questions  About  Discrepancies, 

There  are  several  hundreds  of  manuscripts  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  no  two  of  them  are  exactly  alike.  The 
differences  are  never  important.  All  agree  in  the  record 
of  vital  truth.  This  means  that  God  w^as  not  concerned 
to  preserve  the  Bible  from  the  marks  of  human  imper- 
fections. In  the  transmission  of  the  records  copyists  and 
teachers  have  added  marginal  notes,  which  later  copyists 
have  worked  into  the  text.  The  discovery  of  earlier 
manuscripts  proved  this.  God  has  used  fallible  men  to 
give  us  infallible  truth  in  the  setting  of  human  limita- 
tions. The  infallible  truth  is  not  lost  thereby.  Perhaps 
the  original  manuscripts  were  free  from  error,  but  it  is 
not  essential  that  they  should  have  been.  The  Bible  as 
it  is  proves  sufficient  for  God's  purpose.  It  is  very  sug- 
gestive that  New  Testament  writers  generally  are  not 
careful  to  quote  Old  Testament  passages  verbatim.  It 
is  the  spirit  of  the  truth  which  giveth  life. 

When  dealing  with  objectors,  admit  frankly  that  there 
are  some  minor  discrepancies  in  the  record.  But  the  vital 
truth  abides.  Moreover,  it  is  to  be  noted  that  many 
alleged  discrepancies  are  easily  explained,  when  all  the 
facts  are  reasonably  considered.  One  of  the  most  famous 
cases  is  that  in  the  record  of  David's  purchase  of  the 
place  for  the  temple.  Some  urge  that  the  account  in 
2  Samuel  xxiv.  24  contradicts  the  account  In  I  Chron- 
icles xxl.  22-25.  But  it  is  evident  that  both  accounts 
harmonize  perfectly.  Oman  wished  to  sell  the  land  to 
David,  but  to  give  the  oxen,  wheat,  etc.  But  David 
insisted  on  paying  for  everything,  and  paid  six  hundred 
shekels  In  gold  for  the  land,  and  fifty  shekels  In  silver 
for  the  oxen,  wheat,  etc.  As  to  the  Gospel  records,  the 
slight  differences  In  detail  greatly  strengthen  the  evidence 
of  independent  witnesses. 

Prayer. — Help  me  to  be  more  anxious  about  the  spirit 
that  giveth  life,  dear  Lord,  and  help  all  men  to  see  the 
truth  which  makes  their  duty  plain. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  89 

STUDY  XIII— Using  the  Bible  with  Men. 
Fifth  Day:  The  Sufficiency  of  the  Bible, 

The  position  of  the  Christian  is  much  stronger  when 
he  acknowledges  frankly  every  fact  about  the  Bible  which 
may  be  adduced  by  way  of  objection.  There  is  an  ex- 
planation for  every  such  fact  which  properly  relates  it 
to  the  whole  Bible.  When  such  facts  have  been  con- 
sidered, the  Bible  remains  the  inspired  Word  of  God,  the 
only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  life  for  men.  Coleridge 
said:  "I  know  the  Bible  is  inspired  because  it  finds  me 
at  greater  depths  of  my  being  than  any  other  book." 
Dr.  Robertson  Smith  said:  "History  has  not  taught  us 
that  there  is  anything  in  true  religion  to  add  to  the  New 
Testament."  It  opens  a  fountain  of  heaiing  for  every 
hum.an  ill,  strength  for  the  weary  spirit,  divine  sympa- 
thy for  the  sorrowing,  precious  comfort  for  the  bereaved, 
and  a  glorious  hope  for  the  life  everlasting.     (Ps.  xix.) 

This  Bible  brings  the  salvation  of  God  to  sinful  men 
through  the  atoning  love  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  has  touched 
the  world's  life  with  transforming  power.  It  has  set  the 
child  in  the  very  centre  of  human  interests.  It  found 
slavery  rendered  intolerable  by  the  cruelty  and  impurity 
of  the  master,  and  not  only  lifted  up  the  slave  to  freedom, 
but  exalted  the  place  of  labor  as  honorable  in  all  men. 
It  consecrated  the  unknown  institution  of  marriage  as 
honorable  and  blessed.  Where  the  Bible  has  its  place, 
righteousness  is  exalted  as  the  mark  of  true  character, 
and  the  only  measure  of  real  success  in  human  life,  while 
the  unselfish  service  of  a  Christ-like  love  is  the  sign  of 
God's  fellowship  with  men.  The  light  of  a  blessed  im- 
mortality shines  from  its  pages  upon  the  way  everlasting. 
It  proves  sufficient  for  the  loftiest  ambition,  the  deepest 
aspiration  of  the  noblest  men  of  the  ages.  It  is  the  bread 
of  life  for  every  man  who  hungers  after  righteousness. 
Let  every  inquirer  ponder  these  plain,  priceless  facts. 

Prayer. — O  Word  of  God  incarnate,  help  me  to  ap- 
preciate more  clearly  and  appropriate  more  fully  Thy 
written  Word.  May  it  dwell  in  me  richly,  the  man  of 
my  council,  the  lamp  to  my  feet  day  by  day. 


go  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XIII— Using  the  Bible  with  Men. 
Sixth  Day:  The  Final  Authority  of  Christ, 

A  study  of  Christ's  teaching  reveals  the  final  element 
of  authority  not  only  in  His  utterances,  but  in  the  en- 
tire Bible.  The  reason  it  retains  its  sufficiency  for  men, 
notwithstanding  its  imperfections  in  progressive  revela- 
tion and  its  discrepancies  in  human  record,  is  found  in 
the  character  of  its  authority.  This  is  especially  apparent 
in  the  teaching  of  Christ.  Whenever  Christ  referred  to 
the  Old  Testament  as  authoritative.  He  referred  to  the 
spiritual  teachings  as  having  the  abiding  sanction  of  God. 
(Note  Luke  xxiv.  27.)  The  message  of  the  Bible  is  not 
primarily  regarding  any  phase  of  science  or  history. 
These  are  incidental.  Therefore  it  is  that  all  minor 
details  in  the  record  do  not  affect  the  increasing  power 
of  the  Bible  among  men. 

Christ's  insistence  upon  His  message  is  at  the  point 
where  it  illuminates  spiritual  realities.  Here  He  pur- 
posed that  it  should  reveal  its  power  as  the  eternal  truth 
of  God.  (John  iii.  11-21.)  Here  He  unfolded  the  fun- 
damental principles  underlying  man's  right  relation  to 
God  and  to  his  fellow-men,  largely  leaving  the  details 
of  the  application  of  those  principles  to  the  individual 
soul.  Here  the  authority  of  Christ  is  supreme,  infallible, 
and  eternal.  Let  no  man  assume  to  claim  authority  for 
Christ  where  Christ  did  not  assert  it  for  Himself,  and 
thus  detract  from  the  clear-shining  glory  of  His  power 
as  the  living  Word  of  God.  His  work  was  the  funda- 
mental work  of  giving  men  to  see  the  truth  of  God  as 
it  shines  upon  the  way  everlasting.  All  that  men  need 
to  make  the  path  of  duty  plain  for  this  life  is  given,  as 
well  as  all  that  is  needed  for  our  eternal  hope.  The 
duty  and  the  privilege  of  every  man  is  to  accept  Christ 
as  Lord  and  Master  in  the  purpose  to  strive  to  do  His 
will  and  help  others  to  see  that  in  Him  we  have  life,  and 
have  it  more  abundantly. 

Prayer. — Lord,  where  else  shall  we  go?  Thou  hast 
the  words  of  eternal  life.  Thy  words  are  spirit  and  life 
to  men.    Help  me  to  know  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Thee. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  91 

STUDY  XIII— Using  the  Bible  with  Men. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class, 

Let  the  Christian  worker  be  thoroughly  clear  regard- 
ing its  exact  character  and  he  will  not  be  unprepared  to 
defend  it  as  the  revelation  of  God  and  of  His  will  which 
is  necessary  to  man's  salvation  from  sin.  Any  artificial 
theory  which  does  not  take  every  fact  into  account  will 
weaken  your  position  in  using  the  Bible  with  men. 
When  the  spiritual  reality  is  set  forth  as  the  unfailing 
fact  in  the  Scripture  teaching  there  is  no  possible  escape 
from  its  abiding  authority  and  rich  sufficiency. 

1.  Why  is  it  not  always  best  to  give  the  Bible  to  men 
who  are  approached  by  a  Christian  worker?  How  did 
Paul  do  in  Athens?  Give  the  account  of  *he  young  man 
to  whom  Yonge's  "Christ  of  History"  was  given. 

2.  What  part  of  the  Scriptures  do  unbelievers  gen- 
erally attack?  What  two  facts  must  be  clearly  under- 
stood? What  did  Paul  say  about  this  subject  at  Athens? 
What  is  the  substance  of  Canon  Mozley's  statement? 

3.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  people  generally  in 
Bible  times?  Why  was  the  miracle  often  the  best  way 
to  teach  men?  What  was  the  purpose  of  the  miracle? 
Illustrate  in  the  case  of  Moses,  Elijah,  and  Jonah.  What 
does  Christ  teach  regarding  miracles? 

4.  Wherein  do  the  manuscripts  of  the  Bible  agree? 
Wherein  do  they  differ?  Why  do  the  discrepancies  not 
affect  the  truth  of  the  Bible?  What  are  the  facts  about 
the  copyists?     What  of  the  accounts  of  David? 

5.  Why  are  all  the  facts  about  the  Bible  to  be  frankly 
admitted?  What  did  Coleridge  say  about  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  Bible?  Give  some  of  the  facts  mentioned  to 
show  what  blessings  have  followed  the  Bible  in  the  earth. 

6.  Why  does  the  Bible  retain  its  efficiency,  notwith- 
standing its  discrepancies?  What  parts  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament abide  as  giving  us  the  truth?  Wherein  does  the 
authority  of  Christ's  teaching  rest? 

Prayer. — Let  Thy  teaching  be  the  supreme  truth  to 
me,  O  Lord.  Help  me  to  seek  to  know  Thy  will,  and 
to  strive  daily  to  do  it  faithfully. 


92  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XIV — About  Questionable  Amusements. 
First  Day:  The  Individual  Conscience, 

We  have  come  to  a  most  serious  problem.  Perhaps 
the  Christian  himself  needs  this  Study  as  much  as  the 
non-Christian.  No  one  can  ponder  the  alarming  increase 
of  the  spirit  of  worldliness  in  the  Church  of  Christ  with- 
out realizing  that  before  it  can  do  the  work  which  the 
Master  has  set  it  to  do  a  new  era  of  self-denial  must 
dawn.  The  atmosphere  of  the  discussion  is  so  illusive, 
and  the  temptations  involved  are  so  subtle,  that  the  ear- 
nest Christian  may  well  seek  the  guidance  of  God  in 
striving  to  deal  with  it  wisely.  There  are  tokens  of  a 
quickening  of  the  spiritual  life  at  certain  points  in  the 
Church,  but  there  are  also  tokens  of  a  compromise  with 
real  spirituality.  The  Christian  must  never  be  a  hope- 
less pessimist,  nor  must  he  be  a  blind  optimist. 

The  first  requisite  to  a  better  day  is  a  profound  con- 
cern on  the  part  of  each  individual  Christian  about  his 
own  life.  (Acts  xxiv.  i6.)  How  is  it  counting  for  the 
truest  interests  of  the  Kingdom?  What  is  its  tendency 
in  this  age  of  commercialism  and  pleasure?  (Rom.  xii. 
I,  2.)  Is  it  your  aspiration  to  have  more  of  worldly 
enjoyment,  or  to  be  able  to  give  more  of  time  and  strength 
and  money  to  the  cause  of  Christ?  Are  you  really  con- 
cerned about  the  worldliness  which  is  in  the  Church? 
Are  you  ready  for  self-denial  for  the  sake  of  Christ  and 
your  neighbors?  These  are  the  questions  for  the  Chris- 
tian to  ponder.  But  in  answering  them  one  must  go 
into  the  life  and  death  struggle  of  the  soul.  Very  few 
Christians  have  done  this.  Very  few  are  willing  to  do 
it;  but  it  must  be  done  before  the  Church  can  ever  take 
on  the  power  of  God  and  win  the  world  to  Christ. 
When  this  is  done  the  problem  of  the  compromise  with 
worldliness  will  be  solved.  Then  Christians  will  be 
known.     Read  Isaiah  vi.   i-8. 

Prayer. — Saviour,  Thy  dying  love  Thou  gavest  me. 
Nor  should  I  aught  withhold,  dear  Lord,  from  Thee. 
In  love  my  soul  would  bow,  my  heart  fulfil  its  vow. 
Give  me  a  faithful  heart,  likeness  to  Thee! 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  93 

STUDY   XIV— About  Questionable  Amusements. 
Second  Day:  Allegiance  to  Christ  First, 

While  we  must  not  minimize  the  seriousness  of  the 
problem  involved  in  this  Study,  we  must  frankly  face 
the  fact  that  the  mistake  has  often  been  made  of  exalt- 
ing unduly  a  few  particular  amusements  by  making  a 
direct  issue  between  them  and  the  public  confession  of 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  A  young  man  once  voluntarily 
expressed  the  desire  to  unite  with  the  Church.  After 
making  a  good  confession,  he  said  he  wished  to  ask  if 
the  officers  felt  it  would  be  wrong  for  him  to  continue 
to  play  whist  after  uniting  with  the  Church.  He  was 
asked  if  there  was  any  issue  in  his  own  mind  between 
Christ  and  cards.  ''Oh,  no,"  he  replied,  "if  it  be  wrong, 
I  will  not  play  cards  again.  But  I  do  not  think  it  w^ould 
be  wrong." 

The  pastor  at  once  advised  that,  since  the  young  man 
was  ready  to  give  Christ  the  first  place,  it  would  be 
better  to  settle  for  himself  the  question  of  any  amuse- 
ment, w^ith  the  purpose  to  be  true  to  his  conscience,  as  he 
received  light.  To  this  all  agreed,  and  the  question  of 
cards  was  left  to  his  individual  conscience.  A  few  days 
later  one  of  the  officers  of  the  Church  questioned  the 
young  man's  fitness  to  be  received  into  the  Church.  He 
said :  "You  know  we  must  be  born  again."  The  pastor 
replied:  "But  that  does  not  mean  to  be  a  full-grown 
Christian.  To  be  born  again  is  to  be  a  babe  in  Christ, 
and  have  the  new  life  principle  implanted  in  the  heart. 
Not  one  of  us  doubts  that  this  young  man  has  had  that 
experience.  The  very  purpose  of  the  Church  is  to  help 
him  to  grow  into  a  larger  life  in  Christ.  Nothing  else 
will  help  him  so  much."  He  agreed.  That  young  man 
became  an  earnest  Christian.  Cards  soon  fell  out  of  his 
life.  He  settled  his  allegiance  to  Christ  first,  and  other 
things  became  secondary.  Read  2  Corinthians  v.  14-17 
and  Acts  viii.  36,  37. 

Prayer. — Let  me  make  Thee  ray  Lord  in  very  truth. 
Then  I  shall  soon  learn  to  desire  only  that  which  will 
be  pleasing  to  Thee. 


94  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY   XIV — About  Questionable  Amusements. 
Third  Day:  The  Help  Confession  Brings, 

The  principle  which  we  are  emphasizing  is  that  in- 
volved in  the  old  familiar  phrase — *'the  expulsive  power 
of  a  new  affection."  The  only  way  to  break  the  slavery 
of  sin  is  to  make  Christ  our  Master,  and  begin  a  new 
obedience  with  all  the  earnestness  of  which  w^e  are 
capable.  Especially  is  this  true  when  one's  struggle  is 
at  the  point  where  he  hesitates  to  confess  Christ  because 
his  enjoyment  of  questionable  amusements  would  be 
affected.  When  such  a  struggle  involves  the  young  man 
who  is  concerned  about  his  spiritual  life,  but  who  de- 
sires also  to  surrender  nothing  of  his  earthly  pleasures, 
then  the  great  duty  to  urge  is  that  of  showing  his  true 
colors.  (Ex.  xxxii.  26.)  It  is  not  the  prerogative  of  a 
Christian  to  insist  that  these  pleasures  are  sinful  in 
themselves.  But  it  is  wise  and  right  to  urge  the  hesitant 
believer  to  be  thorough-going  in  his  allegiance,  and  be 
true  to  Christ,  in  the  purpose  that  all  his  pleasures  hence- 
forth must  be  consistent  with  an  earnest  Christian  life. 
(Phil.  iv.  8.) 

The  open  confession  of  Christ  brings  strength  to  such 
a  follower.  No  strength  of  character  can  be  developed 
without  a  definite  purpose.  A  life  with  a  purpose  is  like 
an  arrow  flying  to  the  mark,  while  the  life  without  a 
purpose  is  like  a  drifting  ship.  Now,  in  order  to  have  a 
purpose  in  the  Christian  life,  there  must  be  a  definite 
standard  fixed  as  the  goal  toward  which  one  is  striving. 
A  genuine  confession  of  Christ  secures  this.  It  carries 
the  positive  purpose  to  seek  to  do  Christ's  will.  This  is 
vital  to  Christian  character.  This  purifies  the  motive, 
clarifies  the  thought,  intensifies  the  will,  deepens  the 
affections.  Anything  else  leaves  the  life  uncertain. 
When  the  confession  is  genuine,  all  other  questions  find 
solution.     Read  Matthew  xvi.   13-18. 

Prayer. — Reveal  to  me  the  force  of  Thy  statement,  O 
Christ,  that  if  I  confess  Thee  before  men  Thou  wilt 
confess  me  before  the  Father,  and  help  me  to  see  why 
Thou  canst  not  confess  me,  if  I  fail  to  confess  Thee. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  95 

STUDY   XIV — About  Questionable  Amusements. 
Fourth  Day:  The  Weak  Brothers  Conscience. 

Paul's  discussion  of  this  subject  is  the  classic  passage 
for  all  time,  (i  Cor.  viii.)  Every  sincere  Christian 
should  study  it  for  his  own  inspiration,  and  should  pre- 
sent it  to  any  who  are  not  clear  about  the  teaching  of 
the  Scriptures  on  the  subject  to  read  for  themselves. 
Note  the  fundamental  points  emphasized  by  Paul.  The 
first  great  fact  urged  by  the  apostle  is  that  Christian  love 
is  necessary  in  the  heart  if  one  wishes  to  settle  this  ques- 
tion so  as  to  be  most  helpful  to  one's  neighbor.  We  may 
have  much  knowledge  about  the  question,  so  as  to  be 
very  clear  that  we  are  not  doing  any  wrong  at  all.  But 
knowledge  puffeth  up,  while  love  edifieth.  Eating  meat 
which  had  been  offered  to  idols  was  quite  an  innocent 
thing.  An  idol  was  nothing.  But  the  people  had  for 
years  held  up  their  meat  by  heave-offerings  to  the  idols, 
thus  recognizing  the  gods  as  their  benefactors  in  giving 
them  life  and  the  blessings  of  life.  Hence  one  who  ate 
the  meat  thus  offered  was  looked  upon  as  an  idolater. 

When  the  new  Christians  at  Corinth  faced  this  ques- 
tion of  conduct  the  difference  of  opinion  was  pronounced. 
The  matter  w^as  referred  to  Paul.  His  masterly  discus- 
sion leaves  nothing  more  to  be  said.  The  Christians  who 
persisted  in  eating  meat  were  within  their  lawful  rights, 
but  their  liberty  was  in  danger  of  leading  them  to  be 
stumbling-blocks  in  the  way  of  those  who  were  still  weak. 
Should  any  weak  brother  be  led  to  suppose  that  a  Chris- 
tian could  also  be  an  idolater,  the  result  would  be  fatal 
to  a  true  conception  of  a  true  Christian  life.  When  a 
Christian  knows  this,  his  act,  which  was  not  sinful  in 
itself,  now  becomes  sinful,  for  it  would  be  a  wilful  in- 
jury of  a  brother's  soul.  Paul  would  never  run  the  risk 
of  such  a  sin.     Are  you  willing  to  do  so? 

Prayer. — Thou  didst  deny  Thyself  for  me,  dear  Lord. 
Thou  didst  leave  Thy  glory  to  die  for  me.  Help  me  to 
be  glad  to  deny  myself  for  Thee,  and  for  every  man  for 
whose  salvation  Thou  hast  died. 


96  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY   XIV— About  Questionable  Amusements. 
Fifth  Day:  Christian  Example. 

When  we  considered  man's  responsibility  for  his  fel- 
low-men we  noted  the  responsibility  of  example.  We 
noted  how  every  life  Is  an  argument,  and  how  vital  a 
consistent  life  is  to  an  effective  testimony  for  Christ. 
(Eph.  V.  15.)  That  principle  has  a  special  application 
at  the  point  where  the  very  question  most  frequently 
arises  as  to  what  is  consistent  in  conduct  with  a  true 
Christian  character.  Paul's  discussion  carries  the  mat- 
ter of  revealing  a  true  Christian  example  beyond  the 
point  of  being  consistent,  in  so  far  as  the  conduct  of  the 
individual  may  not  be  pronounced  wrong.  The  moment 
we  press  the  question  of  a  standard  of  conduct  here  we 
realize  that  the  Christ-like  element  in  Christianity  Is  not 
the  letter  of  the  law,  but  the  spirit  of  love.  While  love 
always  honors  the  law,  it  Is  never  satisfied  with  the  Shy- 
lock  idea  of  a  pound  of  flesh. 

The  heart  of  the  truth  Is  here.  Christian  example 
will  never  be  what  our  Lord  desires  until  we  cease  to 
ask  what  may  be  allowed  along  the  line  of  questionable 
pleasures.  Such  inquiry  always  betrays  the  presence  of 
a  selfish  spirit  dominant  which  separates  from  Christ, 
instead  of  drawing  us  nearer  to  Him.  Paul  wrote  to  the 
PhlHppIans  (11.  3-13)  those  wonderful  words  which  de- 
scribe the  character  of  Christ's  self-emptied  service  for 
us.  Now  and  then  an  anxious  Christian  longs  to  break 
the  shackles  of  custom,  and  live  so  that  his  example 
would  be  less  compromising  with  the  worldly  spirit 
which  he  knows  Is  not  of  Christ.  He  often  feels  help- 
less, for  one  life  seems  to  be  unable  to  count  for  anything. 
Yet  just  this  is  what  every  zealous  Christian  must  do. 
Let  him  plan  prayerfully  and  perseveringly  to  have  his 
life  count  as  fully  as  one  can  for  an  example  so  evidently 
earnest  in  the  effort  to  live  Christ  that  every  man  will 
know  it.     Such  a  life  will  have  power  and  be  a  blessing. 

Prayer. — Let  Thy  mind  dwell  In  me,  dear  Lord. 
Help  me  to  learn  this  wondrous  lesson  as  Thy  follower, 
and  then  to  show  others  its  beauty  and  power. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  97 

STUDY   XIV— About  Questionable  Amusements. 
Sixth  Day:  Not  How  Little,  but  How  Much? 

After  all,  it  is  not  primarily  our  relation  to  our  fel- 
low-man which  involves  the  supreme  motive  in  solving 
these  questions.  It  is  our  relation  to  Christ.  It  is  as 
we  love  Christ  that  we  will  learn  to  love  our  neighbor. 
It  is  as  we  love  Christ  that  we  will  love  to  be  pure  and 
blameless  in  our  own  lives,  and  therefore  always  helpful, 
and  never  hurtful,  in  our  Christian  example.  It  is  as 
we  love  Christ  and  w^ill  not  ask  how  little  we  can  do  as 
Christians  that  will  satisfy  our  consciences,  but  our  con- 
stant effort  will  be  to  discover  how  much  we  can  do  for 
Him.  (Matt.  v.  40-48.)  Where  this  spirit  is  controll- 
ing the  life,  all  the  questions  of  conduct  take  care  of 
themselves  easily  and  quickly. 

Now  this  spirit  is  actually  seen  in  many  lives.  This 
is  not  an  idealism  which  is  beyond  the  attainment  of  the 
follower  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  will  have  his  struggles. 
He  will  feel  the  binding  of  the  chains  of  custom  all 
about  him.  But  his  heart  will  be  toward  Christ  as  the 
needle  is  toward  the  pole.  It  is  never  absolutely  true 
very  long  at  a  time.  Distractions  swerve  it  on  this  side 
and  on  that,  but  its  controlling  principle  holds  it  to  the 
one  point  again  and  again,  until  it  is  evident  to  every 
observer  that  its  allegiance  is  fixed.  So  is  it  with  the 
true  Christian.  So  long  as  he  must  struggle  with  the 
world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  there  will  be  distractions 
and  swervings  from  perfect  fidelity  to  Christ;  but  the 
controlling  principle  of  the  love  of  Christ  will  appear 
again  and  again,  until  no  fair  man  will  doubt  that  the 
allegiance  of  his  soul  is  fixed  in  Jesus  Christ.  (Phil.  iii. 
12-14.)  To  live  so  that  all  men  will  know  this  should 
be  the  constant  aspiration,  the  absorbing  ambition,  the  un- 
ceasing prayer,  the  constant  endeavor  of  every  man  who 
professes  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  as  his  Saviour  and  his  Lord. 

Prayer. — Give  me  the  ambition  to  be  a  Christian  at 
my  best  and  at  my  most,  O  Lord.  Burn  the  spirit  of 
compromise  with  the  truest  life  out  of  my  desires  forever  I 


98  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

— — — O— — —^B— III  ■■■■l«llll«i»iiaBI1«BII»IIIBMPnB«niM>M^MMIiBM^M«MMBWM— — — 

STUDY  XIV — About  Questionable  Amusements. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  ClasSc 

In  this  Study  the  essence  of  the  whole  thought  is 
summed  up  in  the  words — live  Christ.  Let  Christ  be 
the  pith  of  every  thought,  Christ  the  wing  of  every  word, 
Christ  the  spring  of  every  action,  Christ  the  pole  of  the 
heart,  Christ  the  goal  of  the  life.  Let  the  rule  for  each 
day  be — to  Christ  in  everything,  from  Christ  to  every- 
thing, face  to  face  with  Christ  in  everything.  The  prob- 
lem will  then  be  solved. 

1.  What  is  the  fact  regarding  the  prevalence  of  the 
spirit  of  worldliness  in  the  Church?  What  is  the  first 
requisite  to  a  better  condition  of  things  in  this  regard? 
What  is  your  real  attitude  of  heart  toward  the  subject? 
Do  you  believe  it  is  pleasing  to  Christ? 

2.  What  mistake  is  sometimes  made  in  discussing  the 
subject  of  questionable  amusements  with  people  who  are 
not  Christians?  State  the  points  in  the  incident  men- 
tioned concerning  a  young  man  and  the  Church  officers. 
Why  was  the  officer  mistaken  in  his  idea  of  the  case? 

3.  What  principle  is  involved  in  the  view  which  is 
being  set  forth  in  this  Study?  Why  is  it  wise  to  urge 
positive  allegiance  to  Christ,  rather  than  to  condemn  the 
particular  amusement?  What  are  the  benefits  resulting 
from  an  open  confession  of  faith  in  Christ? 

4.  Give  the  main  points  contained  in  Paul's  discus- 
sion in  I  Corinthians  viii.  What  were  the  habits  at 
Corinth  which  explain  the  discussion?  Do  you  study 
your  conduct  in  view  of  its  effect  upon  weaker  brethren? 

5.  Why  does  the  truth  about  Christian  example  apply 
here?  What  is  the  Christ-like  element  in  Christian  con- 
duct?   What  is  Paul's  thought  in  Phil,  ii.? 

6.  What  relation  is  the  supreme  factor  in  determining 
our  concern  about  our  fellow-men?  Give  the  substance 
of  the  illustration  of  the  needle  in  its  relation  to  the 
pole.     Is  your  relation  to  Christ  like  that? 

Prayer. — For  this  I  pray,  divine  Master,  that  I  may 
be  blameless  in  my  conduct,  having  my  speech  with  grace, 
seasoned  with  salt! 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  99 

STUDY  XV— Intellectual  Questions. 
First  Day:  The  Honest  Doubter. 

There  are  some  men  who  are  seeking  the  truth,  but 
are  hindered  by  doubts  which  they  think  are  justified. 
Before  attempting  to  take  up  these  doubts,  let  the  worker 
show  the  individual  to  be  won  that  nothing  will  help  to 
clear  away  his  doubts  like  the  appreciation  on  his  part 
of  the  reasonableness  of  faith.  (Acts  xxvi.  7,  8.)  If  pos- 
sible this  must  be  had  before  particular  points  are  raised. 
The  difficulty  with  such  men,  as  a  rule,  is  that  they  think 
they  must  have  demonstrations  about  mysteries  which 
will  entirely  remove  the  mysteries.  We  have  discussed 
the  difficulties  in  the  minds  of  many  regarding  the  Bible. 
When  these  are  removed  the  way  is  often  clear  for  an 
appeal  to  take  Christ  at  His  word,  and  test  His  promise 
to  help  the  earnest  man.     (Matt.  xi.  25-30.) 

It  is  vitally  important  to  show  the  doubter  that  his 
intellect  is  not  the  only  organ  of  evidence  to  the  soul. 
Many  make  the  mistake  of  supposing  it  is.  But  /  know 
my  mother  loves  me,  and  I  cannot  prove  it  by  logic. 
This  means  that  the  affections  are  an  organ  of  evidence. 
Not  only  so,  but  the  will  is  also  involved  as  an  organ  of 
evidence.  When  Christ  said,  ''If  any  man  willeth  to  do 
His  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  teaching,  whether  it  be 
of  God"  (John  vii.  17),  He  touched  this  truth.  Espe- 
cially is  this  necessary  when  the  relation  is  to  be  estab- 
lished of  servant  and  Master  between  the  individual  and 
Christ.  In  the  nature  of  things  the  Christian  must  be 
willing  to  submit  his  will  to  the  will  of  Christ  in  order 
to  prove  the  blessedness  of  the  Christian  life.  Come 
unto  me  and  learn  of  me,  is  the  condition  which  Christ 
makes  if  we  would  find  rest  unto  our  souls.  (Matt.  xi. 
28-30.)  The  most  helpful  and  most  satisfactory  thing 
the  honest  doubter  can  do  is  to  "come  and  see"  that 
Christ  will  prove  faithful  to  His  promise.     (Hosea  vi.  3,) 

Prayer. — Lord,  I  believe:  help  Thou  mine  unbelief. 
Give  me  grace  to  make  the  most  of  my  faith  and  the 
least  of  my  doubts  and  fears.  Help  me  to  see  that  the 
way  of  faith  is  the  way  of  strength  and  growth. 


loo  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XV— Intellectual  Questions. 
Second  Day:  The  Open  Unbeliever, 

When  the  individual  to  be  won  pretends  to  be  an 
open  unbeliever,  the  first  thing  to  do  is  to  discover,  if 
possible,  how  far  he  will  be  frank  and  straightforward 
in  discussion.  Put  the  question  directly:  Are  you  will- 
ing to  talk  about  the  subject,  and  to  be  thoroughly  fair 
in  the  face  of  the  facts?  If  he  should  be  evasive  (Luke 
X.  29),  tell  him  it  is  impossible  for  him  ever  to  see  the 
light  if  he  will  not  be  fair  and  honest.  Nothing  will  be 
more  effective  than  to  leave  him  for  a  time  under  the 
sense  of  not  being  fair  in  the  face  of  truth.  Have  him 
read  John  iii.  19-21,  and  ask  him  if  the  reason  given 
for  not  coming  to  the  light  applies  in  his  case.  Have 
him  read  Hebrew  x.  28,  29.  He  may  never  have  appre- 
ciated his  true  attitude  before,  but  the  fact  that  he  knows 
that  someone  else  appreciates  it  will  tend  to  make  it  vivid 
to  himself.  So  long  as  he  maintains  his  attitude  it  is 
not  worth  while  to  attempt  discussion.  Becoming  will- 
ing to  have  a  fair  talk  will  be  half  the  battle. 

Then  begin,  as  in  other  cases,  by  having  him  state 
what  he  does  believe.  Help  him  in  this  by  suggesting 
every-day  facts  which  all  accept,  though  mysterious. 
Urge  the  reasonableness  of  a  faith  which  rests  on  facts. 
At  first  begin  to  show  how  the  facts  in  Christ's  life 
justify  faith  in  Him  as  a  guide  for  this  life.  Then  show 
that  the  experience  of  the  Christian  is  very  real,  justi- 
fying his  faith  in  Christ's  teaching  about  God  and  His 
relation  to  men.  At  this  point  the  fact  of  sin  must  be 
faced,  and  the  need  of  a  Saviour  emphasized,  as  in  the 
first  Study.  Let  the  sense  of  sin  be  quickened,  and  the 
truth  will  accomplish  its  work.  Press  home  the  teach- 
ing of  Romans  vie  23.  Ask  him  to  recall  instances  of 
the  wages  of  sin,  and  also  the  evident  blessedness  of  the 
life  of  one  who  follows  Christ  irl  sincerity.  Pray  con- 
stantly for  the  Spirit's  help. 

Prayer. — Open  the  blind  eyes,  O  God.  Touch  the 
hardened  hearts  of  self-deceived  men,  and  let  the  sun- 
shine of  Thy  love  make  plain  to  them  the  way  of  life. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  loi 

STUDY  XV— Intellectual  Questions. 
Third  Day:  The  Man  Who  Argues, 

We  have  his  picture  in  Luke  x.  25-29.  The  words 
which  describe  his  spirit  are,  ''but  he,  willing  to  justify 
himself,  said,"  etc.  Such  an  attitude  betrays  a  fatal  lack. 
We  think  of  intellectual  pride  as  explaining  the  tendency 
to  argument,  but  it  is  just  this  also  which  inclines  one 
to  justify  himself.  The  case  is  the  more  pathetic  because 
it  is  a  sign  of  intellectual  weakness.  The  sign  of  intel- 
lectual strength  is  humility  of  spirit  in  the  face  of  so 
much  that  baffles  all  science  and  all  philosophy.  Socrates 
was  one  of  the  first  to  show  that  the  wise  man  is  quick 
to  confess  what  he  does  not  know.  It  is  well  to  make 
this  point  clear  to  a  man  who  always  desires  to  argue. 
He  generally  desires  to  satisfy  his  conscience  regarding 
his  attitude  of  mind  and  heart. 

In  John  ix.  we  have  the  story  of  the  effort  of  the 
Pharisees  to  argue  with  the  man  born  blind  who  had 
received  his  sight  (13-38).  It  was  perfectly  evident 
that  this  man  could  see,  but  the  Pharisees  were  not  will- 
ing to  admit  that  Jesus  should  have  the  credit  of  healing 
him,  for  then  they  could  not  escape  the  clear  duty  of 
accepting  Him  themselves.  Just  this  situation  exists  to- 
day. Men  cannot  deny  the  facts  which  Christians  urge 
regarding  Christian  lives  and  communities ;  but  they  argue 
against  the  explanation  which  would  give  the  credit  to 
Christ.  They  try  to  explain  these  facts  in  other  ways. 
The  Pharisees  insisted  that  this  man  explain  how  he  was 
healed.  He  acknowledged  frankly  that  he  could  not; 
but  he  knew  the  blessed  fact.  A  man  who  drinks  water 
knows  his  thirst  is  quenched,  though  he  may  not  explain 
it.  This  illustration  is  sufficient  to  answer  the  man  who 
would  have  you  deny  a  fact  because  you  cannot  explain  it. 
Thus  fix  the  reasonableness  of  faith,  and  proceed  as  in 
other  cases. 

Prayer. — O  Thou  who  art  just  and  can  justify  the  un^ 
godly,  who  will  turn  to  Thee  in  repentance  and  faith, 
convict  the  self-righteous  of  their  helplessness  without 
Thee. 


I02  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY  XV— Intellectual  Questions. 
Fourth  Day:  The  Shallow  Sceptic. 

Here  is  still  another  type  of  individual,  whose  difficulty- 
is  an  attitude  of  indifference.  In  every  case  of  unwill- 
ingness to  acknowledge  Christ  there  is  some  phase  of 
unbelief,  and  this  is  due  either  to  the  failure  to  appre- 
ciate the  real  character  of  sin,  or  an  unwillingness  to 
attempt  the  fight  of  faith  which  Involves  the  struggle 
against  sin.  The  condition  betrays  a  shallow  nature 
whose  scepticism  will  be  Indefinite  because  the  individual 
has  never  been  thoughtful  about  the  realities  of  the  spir- 
itual life.  Therefore  the  aim  of  the  Christian  must  be 
to  deepen  the  sense  of  the  truth  about  man's  need,  as  it 
is  set  forth  In  the  First  Study.  Nothing  else  will  avail 
to  affect  the  shallowness  of  this  sort  of  life.  Have  them 
read  Hebrews  11.  1-4. 

When  the  sense  of  need  is  quickened,  the  Second 
Study  unfolds  God's  provision  for  the  need.  One  weak- 
ness found  In  this  class  of  persons  is  the  short-sighted 
sentiment  that  God  is  too  good  to  allow  His  children  to 
suffer  forever  because  of  sin.  Those  who  hold  to  this 
misconception  about  the  Father's  love  need  to  see  how 
untenable  such  an  opinion  is,  so  long  as  men  do  not  re- 
pent of  sin.  (Luke  xlx.  41-44.)  Imagine  a  pupil  com- 
ing to  his  own  father,  who  Is  his  teacher,  with  his  problem 
wrong,  and  his  father  saying:  "It  does  not  matter.  I 
love  you  so  much.  We  will  let  it  pass."  You  would 
say  he  did  not  really  love  the  child,  and  did  not  love 
mathematics.  Nay,  there  could  be  no  more  mathematics. 
But  when  the  problem  of  character  is  wrong,  God's  love 
cannot  ignore  the  fact.  The  true  teacher  will  say: 
'*Just  because  I  love  j^ou  so  much,  we  must  make  the 
problem  right,  and  I  am  here  to  help  you  do  it."  If  the 
pupil  be  unwilling  to  have  the  problem  made  right,  the 
case  is  hopeless,  although  Love  has  provided  the  way. 

Prayer. — Give  to  thoughtless  men  a  sense  of  sin,  and 
therefore  of  their  great  need  of  forgiveness  and  cleansing, 
O  God.  -Help  them  to  see  how  Thou  canst  only  save 
those  who  are  willing  to  turn  to  Thee. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  103 

STUDY  XV— Intellectual  Questions. 
Fifth  Day:  The  Partially  Persuaded. 

Probably  every  unbeliever  is  partially  persuaded,  if  he 
would  be  thoroughly  frank  to  confess  it.  But  the  vari- 
ous classes  thus  far  considered  in  this  Study  are  those 
who  do  not  confess  the  real  truth  about  themselves. 
There  are  some,  however,  who  profess  to  be  partially 
persuaded  but  are  not  satisfied  regarding  certain  points 
in  the  Christian  faith.  It  is  probable  that  such  people 
will  be  among  the  most  difficult  to  win  to  Christ,  for 
they  generally  are  complacent.  The  young  man  who 
came  to  Christ  asking  how  to  inherit  eternal  life  lacked 
only  one  thing.  (Matt.  xix.  16-22.)  He  was  complacent 
in  his  sense  of  self-sufficiency,  and  was  unwilling  to  yield 
the  point  that  was  necessary  for  him  to  have  eternal  life. 
The  love  of  Christ  for  him  did  not  avail  so  long  as  he 
was  not  willing  to  do  the  one  thing  not  yet  done.  The 
one  vulnerable  point  was  fatal. 

Again  we  urge  the  method  of  emphasizing  the  value 
of  the  positive  side  of  life  and  building  the  faith  upon 
what  is  believed.  Dwell  upon  the  thought  that  if  one 
who  claims  to  be  partly  persuaded  will  earnestly  make 
the  most  of  his  faith,  a  larger  faith  is  sure  to  result.  In 
Hosea  vi.  3  we  read:  ''Then  shall  we  know  if  we 
follow  on  to  know  the  Lord."  All  progress  in  knowl- 
edge is  made  as  men  press  along  the  line  of  facts  already 
secured.  It  must  be  so  in  religious  knowledge  and  ex- 
perience. (Jer.  xxix.  13.)  To  this  class  emphasize  also 
the  necessity  of  having  the  will  in  right  relation  to 
Christ's  will.  (John  vii.  17.)  Generally  this  class  will 
not  be  ready  to  make  this  test,  and  make  their  excuse  in 
the  claim  that  they  cannot  comprehend  certain  points. 
Urge  the  claim  of  Christ  that  willing  obedience  is  the 
surest  means  of  knowing  the  truth,  and  challenge  them 
to  make  the  test.  Insist  that  no  one  ever  made  this  test 
sincerely  without  finding  a  precious  blessing  as  a  result. 

Prayer. — Help  all  hesitant  men  to  seek  Thee  with  the 
whole  heart,  for  then  Thou  hast  promised  that  they  shall 
surely  find  Thee. 


I04  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XV— Intellectual  Questions. 
Sixth  Day:  Earnestness  Versus  Argument. 

A  Christian  heard  a  neighbor  use  scoffing  language 
about  Christianity.  Though  he  knew  his  neighbor  was 
not  a  Christian,  he  had  never  suspected  the  godless  spirit 
betrayed  by  this  utterance.  He  became  burdened  for  his 
neighbor's  salvation.  He  knew  the  man  was  keen  in 
intellect  and  much  given  to  argument,  and  therefore  felt 
it  necessary  to  prepare  himself  thoroughly  to  combat  his 
arguments.  When  he  went,  with  fear  and  trembling,  he 
was  burdened  with  the  sense  of  his  great  responsibility, 
and  constant  in  prayer.  But  as  he  drew  near  to  his 
neighbor's  house  all  the  intellectual  preparation  was  for- 
gotten, and  the  only  words  which  he  could  utter  were, 
''My  dear  friend,  I  am  so  concerned  about  your  soul!'* 
He  stood  for  a  moment  clasping  the  hand  of  his  friend, 
choking  with  sobs,  and  then  silently  turned  away. 

The  unbeliever  was  astonished.  As  he  watched  the 
Christian  depart,  he  said  to  himself,  ''I  know  that  man 
to  be  sincere.  If  he  has  found  Christianity  to  be  so  real 
to  him  that  he  is  really  concerned  about  my  welfare,  then 
there  is  something  about  Christianity  which  I  have  never 
appreciated."  The  evident  earnestness  of  the  genuine, 
sincere  Christian  had  convinced  the  unbeliever  of  the 
reality  of  the  Christian  faith,  as  no  argument  ever  would 
have  done.  An  argument  would  have  provoked  his  in- 
tellectual pride,  whereas  his  heart  was  touched  by  the 
power  of  an  earnest  spirit.  He  was  led  to  Christ.  (Acts 
XX.  17-31.) 

This  does  not  mean  that  there  is  no  place  for  an  argu- 
ment, but  it  is  proof  that  often  earnestness  carries  con- 
viction because  it  reveals  a  genuine  experience,  and  after 
all  nothing  tells  like  the  evidence  that  a  Christian  thor- 
oughly believes  his  own  testimony  because  it  has  come 
from  a  true  experience. 

Prayer. — I  pray  for  earnest  sincerity,  O  God.  Help 
me  in  my  own  experience  to  be  dead  in  earnest  about  the 
great  realities  of  the  spiritual  life.  Then  help  me  to 
witness  to  these  realities  with  earnest  zeal. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  105 

STUDY  XV— Intellectual  Questions. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class. 

It  Is  not  always  easy  to  distinguish  between  the  intel- 
lectual and  moral  forces  of  the  soul.  The  activities  of 
the  conscience  involve  both,  and  various  theories  diflEer 
as  to  the  relative  place  of  the  intellect  and  the  moral 
consciousness.  Experience  proves  that  the  intellect  has 
only  a  partial  place,  while  the  moral  intuitions  also  are 
active  in  the  perception  of  right  and  wrong,  and  there- 
fore of  truth  and  duty.  Especially  in  the  moral  con- 
sciousness is  the  will  an  important  factor,  and  love  reveals 
itself  in  personal  relations  in  its  own  way. 

1.  What  rule  applies  especially  when  dealing  with  an 
honest  doubter?  What  must  we  acknowledge  about 
mysteries?  What  are  the  organs  of  evidence  to  the  soul? 
What  mistake  is  made  regarding  them? 

2.  What  is  the  first  thing  to  do  with  an  open  unbe- 
liever? What  Scripture  is  to  be  used  if  he  be  evasive? 
When  he  is  frank,  how  would  you  proceed?  When  the 
fact  of  sin  is  faced,  what  Scripture  is  to  be  used? 

3.  Where  is  the  picture  of  the  man  who  argues?  What 
IS  the  fatal  fact  about  him  ?  What  does  intellectual  pride 
indicate  in  the  individual?  Analyze  the  story  in  Johq 
ix.,  and  show  the  reason  for  the  argument  of  the  Phari- 
sees. What  illustration  justifies  faith  even  when  expla- 
nations cannot  be  fully  given? 

4.  Why  is  the  case  of  the  shallow  sceptic  difficult? 
What  truth  does  he  need  to  realize?  How  would  you 
answer  the  misconception  about  God's  love? 

5.  How  should  you  deal  with  the  partially  persuaded? 
What  Scripture  is  to  be  used  with  them?  How  must 
the  will  be  involved  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ? 

6.  What  is  the  incident  given  to  illustrate  the  impor- 
tance of  earnestness?  Why  is  this  valuable?  What 
activities  enter  into  the  moral  consciousness?  (See  this 
page,  introduction.) 

Prayer. — May  I  learn  to  know  the  truth  in  increasing 
fulness,  O  Lord,  and  may  the  evident  realities  in  mj^ 
experience  appear  to  those  who  know  me. 


io6  Studies   for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY   XVI— Secret   Believers. 
First  Day:  Believing^  but  Not  Confessing, 

We  read  in  the  account  of  the  early  Church  that  there 
were  many  of  the  chief  rulers  who  believed  on  Christ 
(John  xii.  42),  but  ''did  not  confess  Him."  John  gives 
the  reason.  There  are  many  secret  believers  who  will 
not  admit  that  this  same  explanation  applies  to  their 
failure  to  confess  Christ,  but  for  most  men  there  is  rea- 
son to  believe  the  same  explanation  obtains.  When  a 
man  claims  to  believe  in  Christ  and  to  be  His  follower, 
but  declines  to  confess  Him  openly  before  men,  the  rea- 
son is  to  be  found  in  his  relations  with  men,  as  contrasted 
with  his  relation  to  God.  H  he  loved  to  do  the  will  of 
God  he  could  not  fail  to  realize  that  the  spirit  as  well 
as  the  letter  of  the  New  Testament  Scriptures  emphasize 
open  confession  on  the  part  of  the  believer  as  required 
by  the  Lord. 

Furthermore,  this  public  confession  is  identified  with 
the  allegiance  of  the  believer  to  the  Church  of  Christ. 
In  Acts  ii.  41-47  the  teaching  is  clear  that  the  believers 
who  confessed  the  new  faith  were  "added  to  the  Church" 
day  by  day.  Paul  in  his  letter  to  the  Romans  (x.  8-1 1) 
not  only  assumes  that  the  believer  will  "not  be  ashamed" 
to  confess  his  Lord,  but  insists  that  he  will  be  thus  loyal. 
When  Christ  charged  His  disciples  to  be  His  witnesses 
(Acts  i.  8),  it  is  perfectly  evident  that  He  expected  them 
to  confess  Him  with  the  mouth,  as  Paul  puts  it.  A 
witness  is  not  simply  one  who  believes  something,  but  one 
who  tells  it.  Christ  is  on  trial  before  men,  and  He  looks 
to  everyone  of  His  followers  to  be  true  to  Him  and  His 
cause,  which  is  at  stake  in  the  world.  Thorough-going 
allegiance  to  Christ  involves  hearty,  open  assertion  of 
loyalty  to  Him  as  King  and  Lord.  Let  such  considera- 
tions as  these  be  urged  upon  those  who  profess  to  believe, 
but  have  not  confessed  Him  as  Lord  and  Master. 

Prayer. — As  I  value  Thy  friendship  and  saving  help, 
so  may  I  be  glad  to  prove  my  fullest  allegiance  to  Thee, 
dear  Lord.  Help  men  to  love  Thee  best,  and  seek  to  do 
Thy  will. 


Studies  for  Personal  Workers  107 


STUDY   XVI— Secret   Believers. 

Second    Day:    Those    Who    Think    Public   Confession 
Unnecessary, 

In  spite  of  the  clear  teaching  of  the  New  Testament 
regarding  the  natural  duty  of  the  believer  to  confess 
Christ,  there  are  those  who  claim  that  they  can  be  true 
Christians  without  doing  this,  and  that  open  confession  on 
the  part  of  the  believer  is  not  necessary.  To  such  peo- 
ple the  idea  of  salvation  is  largely  that  of  transportation 
to  heaven  when  they  die.  No ;  salvation  involves  trans- 
formation of  character.  But  this  is  impossible,  except 
where  the  heart-life  is  changed,  the  inner  spirit  of  the 
man  renewed,  and  the  principle  of  personal  allegiance  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  quickened  in  the  soul.  The 
man  who  fails  to  appreciate  this  much  about  salvation 
has  failed  at  the  vital  point.  He  may  have  all  the  graces 
and  manner  of  a  Christian  gentleman,  but  if  in  his  heart 
there  be  no  spirit  of  personal  allegiance  to  Christ,  he  is 
not  being  transformed  in  the  realities  of  the  spiritual  life 
which  make  a  true  character. 

It  was  with  this  supreme  truth  in  His  thought  that 
Christ  spake  as  He  did  regarding  the  necessity  of  con- 
fessing Him.  (Matt.  x.  32,  33.)  It  is  to  be  noted  that 
this  statement  is  connected  with  the  assertion  that  God 
notes  the  very  hairs  of  our  heads.  Christ  touches  the 
heart  of  the  matter  in  His  words  in  Mark  viii.  34-38. 
It  is  not  an  arbitrary  statement,  but  simply  the  emphasis 
of  the  fact  that  the  real  character  of  a  man's  allegiance 
to  Christ  will  appear  in  his  open  attitude  toward  Him, 
and  that  is  not  so  important  in  its  effect  upon  Christ  as 
it  is  in  its  evidence  of  the  real  heart-life  of  the  man  who 
professes  to  be  His  follower,  but  refuses  Him  full  alle- 
giance. The  inability  of  Christ  at  the  last  to  recognize 
such  as  His  own  is  not  because  of  His  lack  of  love,  but 
because  of  the  lack  in  the  man's  heart  which  separated 
him  from  the  true  Christ-life. 

Prayer. — I  pray  that  I  may  be  so  truly  Thine,  O 
Christ,  that  Thou  wilt  gladly  confess  me  before  the 
Father,  and  welcome  me  to  Thy  joy. 


io8  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY   XVI— Secret   Believers. 

Third  Day:   Those  Who   Wait  for  Some  Wonderful 
Experience. 

There  are  secret  believers  who  are  willing  to  confess 
Christ,  but  suppose  they  cannot  honestly  do  so  because 
they  have  wrong  ideas  about  that  which  Is  necessary  to 
an  acceptable  and  sincere  confession.  Their  misappre- 
hension is  due  to  a  mistaken  Idea  about  the  experience 
which  accompanies  conversion.  They  have  heard  the 
testimony  of  some  Christians  regarding  their  experience, 
and  they  suppose  every  Christian  must  have  the  same  s.ort 
of  experience.  But  no  two  Christians  are  alike,  and  no 
two  experiences  at  conversion  are  alike.  It  is  true  the 
experience  of  Paul  was  sudden  and  wonderful  (Acts 
ix.  1-9),  but  that  of  John  and  Andrew  was  very  quiet 
and  undemonstrative,  yet  just  as  effective.  The  char- 
acter of  this  experience  when  normal  Is  described  by  our 
Lord  In  Mark  Iv.  26-28.  Many  a  person  never  knows 
the  precise  moment  of  his  conversion. 

•<  When,  passing  southward,  I  may  When,  answering  timidly  the  Master's 

cross  the  line  call, 

Between    the    Arctic    and    At-  I  passed  the  bourne  of  life  in  com- 

lantic  oceans,  ing  to  Him, 

I  may  not  tell  by  any  tests  of  mine,  When,  in  my  love  for  Him,  I   gave 

By  any  startling  signs  or  strange  up  all, 

commotions  The  very  moment  when  I  thought 

Across  my  track.  I  knew  Him, 

But  if  the  days  grow  sweeter  one  I  cannot  tell. 

by  one.  But  as  unceasingly  I  feel  His  love, 

And    e'en    the    icebergs    melt  And  this   cold  heart  is  melted  to 

their  hardened  faces,  o'erflowing. 

And  sailors  linger,  basking  in  the  As  now,   so   clear,    the  light  comes 

sun,  from  above, 

I  know  I  must  have  made  the  I  wonder  at  the  change.  Sat  move 

change  of  places  on,  knowing 

Some  distance  back.  That  all  is  well.** 

The  man  who  trusts  In  Christ  needs  only  to  take  Him 
at  His  word  In  Matthew  xl.  28,  John  vl.  37,  and  Matt. 
X.  32. 

Prayer. — I  thank  Thee,  O  Lord,  that  the  way  is  made 
plain,  and  Thine  invitation  is  clear  and  for  all. 


Studies   for  Personal'  Workers  109 


STUDY   XVI— Secret   Believers. 

Fourth  Day:  Those  Whose  Associates  Influence  Them 
Away. 

The  general  reason  given  in  John  xli.  42,  43  for  the 
failure  to  confess  Christ  has  special  application  to  that 
class  of  believers  who  hesitate  to  give  open  allegiance  to 
Him  because  of  the  influence  of  their  associates.  We 
have  discussed  In  a  former  Study  the  Importance  of  hav- 
ing companions  who  will  be  helpful  to  the  Christian,  and 
therefore  the  importance  of  fixing  clearly  the  purpose  to 
do  tsvo  things:  first,  to  decide  for  Christ  so  positively 
that  your  companions  can  have  no  doubt  about  your  sin- 
cerity; and,  second,  to  strive  to  win  these  companions  to 
Christ.  If  they  are  not  willing  to  listen  to  the  pleading 
of  an  old  friend,  then  the  duty  Is  clear  to  cut  away 
from  them  and  form  new  companions  among  Christians. 
There  Is  no  other  course  worthy  of  a  Christian.  But 
while  this  course  is  clearly  the  right  one.  It  is  too  thor- 
ough-going for  many  whose  hope  in  Christ  is  full  of  the 
alloy  of  desire  to  cling  to  the  friendships  and  pleasures 
of  the  earthly  life. 

The  words  of  Christ  In  Matt.  x.  37-39  are  not  to  be 
considered  an  arbitrary  utterance.  They  do  not,  for  an 
instant,  involve  the  forsaking  of  loved  ones  for  Christ, 
but  they  do  warn  against  choosing  between  loved  ones 
and  Christ.  Any  man  who  has  realized  the  needs  of 
men,  as  suggested  in  Study  I,  cannot  continue  for  very 
long  In  companionship  with  those  who  have  no  concern 
about  their  needs  without  witnessing  for  the  truth.  If 
he  be  complacent  in  such  company  without  bearing  wit- 
ness to  his  faith,  he  has  betrayed  a  serious  lack  in  the 
quality  of  that  faith.  Otherwise  his  silence  would  be 
impossible.  The  fact  must  be  emphasized  that  when  one 
professes  faith  In  Christ  without  giving  any  evidence  of 
that  faith  he  Is  In  danger  of  being  self-deceived. 

Prayer. — Let  me  not  suppose  that  I  can  be  Thy  dis- 
ciple, O  Christ,  without  my  cross.  Help  me  to  be  true 
to  Thee,  and  whatever  cross  that  allegiance  may  bring, 
help  me  to  bear  bravely  to  the  end. 


no  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 


STUDY   XVI— Secret  Believers. 

Fifth   Day:    Those   Who   Fear   Their  Inconsistencies 
May  Hinder. 

There  are  some  conscientious  people  who  have  such  a 
high  idea  of  the  true  Christian  life  that  they  hesitate  to 
confess  Christ  openly  in  the  fear  that  their  inconsisten- 
cies may  cause  their  influence  to  be  more  hurtful  than 
helpful.  The  palpable  inconsistencies  of  so  many  Chris- 
tians will  often  deter  such  from  taking  the  step.  Most 
earnestly  should  the  Christian  strive  to  help  such  friends 
as  these.  Emphasize  the  fact  that  the  Church  of  Christ 
is  composed  of  imperfect  people,  who  confess  their  im- 
perfections, but  unite  in  their  faith  in  Christ  as  one  who 
saves  us  from  our  sins.  Paul  has  given  us  a  statement 
in  his  letter  to  the  Philippians  which  is  one  of  the  most 
helpful  in  the  Scriptures  on  this  point. 

In  Philippians  iii.  12-14  Paul  speaks  of  striving  to 
apprehend  that  for  which  also  he  is  apprehended  of 
Christ.  This  verb  means  to  "lay  hold  upon,"  and  Paul 
says  he  is  striving  to  lay  hold  upon  that  for  which  Christ 
has  laid  hold  upon  him — that  is,  eternal  life.  Now  the 
noun  of  this  verb  is  the  word  "apprentice,"  and  Paul 
asserts  that  the  Christian  is  an  apprentice.  The  spirit 
of  the  whole  passage  breathes  this  thought.  But  think 
what  this  means.  The  apprentice  does  not  hesitate  to 
begin  his  apprenticeship  because  he  fears  he  may  make 
mistakes,  or  because  he  does  not  understand  the  work 
fully.  Pie  knows  he  is  certain  to  make  mistakes,  but  he 
also  knows  the  best  way  to  overcome  them  is  to  begin  at 
once.  For  his  hope  is  in  his  master,  who  is  ever  ready 
to  help  him,  to  encourage,  and  correct  and  guide.  His 
hope  is  in  himself  only  as  he  is  faithful  in  earnest  obedi- 
ence to  his  master.  Thus  he  will  surely  become  masterful 
some  day.  Just  so  is  it  with  the  Christian.  His  appren- 
ticeship is  under  Christ  as  Master,  trusting  and  obeying 
whom  he  comes  to  be  more  masterful  day  by  day. 

Prayer. — Dear  Master,  help  me  to  serve  and  obey  in 
trust  and  confidence.  Help  me  to  overcome  more  and 
more  unto  the  final  victory. 


Studies   for  Personal  Workers  hi 


STUDY   XVI— Secret   Believers. 

Sixth   Day:    Those   Who   Only  Need  the  Persuading 
Word. 

A  pastor  noted  that  his  sermon  seemed  to  be  having 
a  manifest  effect  upon  a  gentleman  who  had  a  pew  for 
years  in  the  Church,  but  who  was  not  a  communicant. 
Acting  on  the  prompting  of  the  Spirit,  he  went  straight 
to  that  man  at  the  close  of  the  service  and  said:  '*Mr. 

,  I  desire  to  have  a  talk  with  you  about  this  matter. 

I  have  felt  that  both  you  and  your  wife  are  Christians 
at  heart,  and  that  you  ought  to  confess  Christ  openly  and 
come  into  the  communion  of  His  people."  "We  will  be 
glad  to  talk  with  you,"  was  the  hearty  replj-.  An  ap- 
pointment was  fixed  for  the  following  Tue^^day  evening. 
When  the  pastor  arrived  he  was  informed  that  these 
friends  had  been  considering  the  matter  earnestly^  and 
had  decided  to  confess  Christ  and  unite  with  the  Church. 
(Ps.  evil.  2.) 

Here  were  two  secret  believers,  intelligent  and  cult- 
ured people,  regular  in  attendance  at  the  house  of  God, 
with  their  children  in  the  Sunday-school.  Yet  they  had 
not  confessed  Christ,  simply  because  no  pressure  had  been 
brought  to  bear  personally  upon  them.  The  message 
from  the  pulpit  did  not  suffice  to  stir  them  up  from  the 
inertia  of  indecision.  They  had  no  doubts.  Yet  they 
would  probably  have  gone  on  in  this  lethargy  had  not  one 
little  word  roused  them  into  a  positive  Christianity. 
Soon  they  were  different  people.  Their  children  were 
baptized.  Their  interest  was  intensified.  Their  spiritual 
life  was  deepened  and  began  to  bear  its  fruit,  and  con- 
tinues to  do  so.  There  are  many  such  people,  strange  as 
the  fact  may  seem.  The  duty  to  emphasize  in  this  con- 
nection is  that  of  the  Christian  to  accept  every  opportunity 
offered  to  speak  to  those  whom  they  have  reason  to  be- 
lieve to  be  Christians  at  heart,  and  who  only  need  the 
persuading  word.  How  suggestive  is  Paul's  word,  "we 
persuade  men."     (2  Cor.  v.  9-20.) 

Prayer. — Forbid  that  any  should  lose  the  joy  of  Thy 
service,  O  Lord,  because  of  my  failure  to  speak  to  them. 


iiQ.  Studies  for  Personal  Workers 

STUDY  XVI— Secret  Believers. 
Seventh  Day:  Suggestions  for  the  Class, 

As  we  realize  our  own  weaknesses  as  professing  Chris- 
tians let  us  learn  to  be  quick  to  sympathize  with  those 
who  are  also  weak.  Instead  of  having  a  spirit  of  con- 
demnation, let  us  realize  that  we  are  just  a  little  further 
along  in  the  way  of  life  than  they,  especially  as  we  may 
remember  how  we  also  hesitated:  Moreover,  let  us  prove 
by  the  character  of  our  Christian  life  that  a  public  con- 
fession really  amounts  to  something. 

1.  What  explanation  is  given  by  the  evangelist  John 
of  the  fact  that  secret  believers  in  his  day  did  not  confess 
Christ?  Do  you  think  this  same  reason  obtains  to-day? 
If  so,  why  do  you  think  so?  What  Scripture  points  to 
the  public  confession  as  according  to  the  will  of  God? 
What  is  the  full  duty  of  a  witness? 

2.  What  must  we  say  of  the  complacency  with  which 
many  Christians  admit  that  public  confession  is  not  neces- 
sary? Repeat  the  words  of  Christ  regarding  those  who 
confess  Him.     Did  He  m.ean  it? 

3.  What  misapprehension  do  many  have  about  con- 
version? How  does  Christ  describe  the  nature  of  the 
Kingdom?  What  is  the  illustration  in  the  quotation? 
What  Scripture  shows  Christ's  readiness  to  receive? 

4.  What  two  things  should  every  Christian  purpose  to 
do  if  his  companions  are  not  Christians?  What  alterna- 
tive remains  for  him?  What  is  the  teaching  of  Christ 
about  forsaking  dear  ones  for  Him?  If  we  be  complacent 
in  silence  among  non-Christians,  what  Is  our  danger? 

5.  What  must  we  say  to  those  who  hesitate  to  confess 
Christ  because  of  their  Inconsistencies?  What  is  the 
thought  about  the  apprentice? 

6.  Describe  the  Incident  mentioned  regarding  the  at- 
tendants at  Church  who  had  not  confessed  Christ.  What 
special  lesson  Is  here  suggested  for  the  Christian?  Why 
did  Paul  "persuade  men"? 

Prayer. — Give  me  the  spirit  of  hearty,  open  allegiance 
to  Thee,  dear  Lord,  and  help  me  to  Influence  others  to 
give  a  like  thorough-going  fidelity  to  Thee  before  all  men. 


FOUR-YEAR  BIBLE  STUDY  CYCLE 


FIRST   YEAR 

Studies  in  the  Life  of  Christ.     By  H.  B.  Sharman, 

Based  on  "  A  Harmony  of  the  Gospels,"  by  Stevens  and  Burton,  and 
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Studies  in  the    Life   of   Jesus    Christ.      By   Ed-ward   I. 
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SECOND   YEAR 

Studies  in  the  Acts  and  Epistles.     By  Ed-vard  I.  Bos7vorth. 

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THIRD   YEAR 

Studies  in  Old  Testament  Characters.    By  Wilbert  Webster 
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A  revised  edition  of  this  standard  book,  based  on  the  same  outline, 
but  requiring  less  work  of  the  student  than  the  previous  edition.  Arranged 
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FOURTH   YEAR 

Studies  in  the  Teaching  of  Jesus  and  His  Apostles.    By 

Edward  I.  Bosworth. 
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study.    Cloth,  75  cents  ;  paper,  50  cents. 


By  Principal  R.  A. 


The  Truth  of  the  Apostolic  Gospel. 

Falconer. 
A  course  supplementary  to  the  four-year  Cycle 
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A  series  of  studies 
Pages, 


148;  cloth,  75  cents  ;  paper,  50  cents. 

The  Life  and  Works  of  Jesus  According  to  St.   Mark. 
By  IV.  D.  Murray. 
An  introductory  course  on  the  Life  of  Christ.    Provides  for  daily  study. 
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The  Message  of  the  Twelve  Prophets.     By    Williavi  D. 
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